The US and China held a series of meetings in Beijing, with both sides drawing red lines for each other. The countries agreed to continue working together on certain issues, moving forward on repairing bilateral ties.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on a three-day visit to China, met President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other Senior Chinese officials.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Mr Blinken told his hosts that resolving the cases of US citizens, who had been wrongfully detained or subjected to exit bans in China, were a top priority. The US Secretary of State underscored upholding the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Mr Miller said, the Secretary reiterated that the US will continue to take necessary action to defend our interests and values, and those of our allies and partners. Mr Blinken also raised concerns about erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. The US also raised serious concerns with China over its support to Russia’s defence industrial base.
Meanwhile, in a TV interview, US Secretary of State said Amercia has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to influence and arguably interfere with the upcoming US elections, despite an earlier commitment from President Xi Jinping not to do so.
The US Secretary of State said, they are carefully looking at interference by China in US elections and it is totally unacceptable to them. He said, there was concern about China and other countries playing on existing social divisions in the US in influence campaigns.
Beijing has repeatedly said it does not interfere in US elections, based on its principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
Disclaimer: This press release is sourced from News On AIR, Prasar Bharti and Press Information Bureau India (PIB).
