US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a visit by US President Joe Biden to the State Department in Washington on February 4, 2021.
Tom Brenner | Reuters
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on China to condemn the military coup in Myanmar and warned Beijing that Washington would work with its allies to hold the People’s Republic accountable for what it described as its efforts for international stability. to threaten, especially in Taiwan Street.
Blinken spoke with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, late Friday in the first conversation between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since President Joe Biden took office. The top US diplomat emphasized human rights in the call, while Yang called on Washington to respect China’s sovereignty.
“Secretary Blinken emphasized that the United States will continue to stand up for human rights and democratic values, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, and urged China to join the international community in condemning the military coup in Burma,” he said. Ned. White House spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Myanmar is also called Burma.
The controversial call between the top diplomats in Washington and Beijing shows that relations are unlikely to improve between the two largest economies in the world under the Biden government. Yang told the US not to interfere with China’s internal affairs in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. Yang warned Blinken that any attempt to slander China would be unsuccessful.
Tensions between the US and China have reached a boiling point under the Trump administration. Although President Joe Biden is reviewing a number of decisions on Trump’s foreign policy, he is unlikely to reverse most of the previous government’s policies on China. Biden has already said he will not immediately charge hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs on Trump’s Chinese exports, as the new government also wants to take a tough approach to trade.
The day before Biden was inaugurated, the Trump administration described the oppression of Uighur Muslims in western Xinjiang province in China as genocide and crimes against humanity. As soon as Trump left office, Beijing imposed sanctions on former government officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Trade Adviser Peter Navarro.
Women wearing red ribbons hold candles during a night rally against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 5, 2021.
Reuters
The Biden administration will uphold the genocide, Biden’s nominated candidate for UN ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said during her confirmation hearing. Biden condemned China’s actions in Xinjiang during its presidential campaign as genocide.
The White House is already facing its first major international flashpoint with China, after the military in Myanmar overthrew and retained the country’s civilian leadership earlier this month.
The US has warned that they will take action against those responsible for the coup if they do not release the continued civilian leadership and maintain the democratic transition of the country. China, in turn, avoided condemning the coup and instead advocated for a solution to the crisis under the country’s constitution.
Tensions are also rising across Taiwan. Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan, which has self-government under the umbrella of U.S. security guarantees. Days after Biden’s inauguration, China sent warplanes to Taiwan Strait and drew condemnation from Washington. On Thursday, a U.S. Navy warship sailed through the Strait for the first time since Biden entered service.
“The Secretary reaffirmed that the United States will work with its allies and partners to defend our shared values and interests in holding the FRC accountable for its efforts to threaten stability in the Indian Pacific, including across the Taiwan Strait, and its undermining of the rules-based international system, “Price’s spokesman for the foreign ministry said about Blinken’s Friday call.
Sign in to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live workday programming from around the world.