WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday described China because the “most severe long-term problem to the worldwide order,” even because the world grapples with Russia’s warfare in Ukraine.
“China is the one nation with each the intent to reshape the worldwide order – and, more and more, the financial, diplomatic, army, and technological energy to do it,” Blinken mentioned in a speech at George Washington College.
“Beijing’s imaginative and prescient would transfer us away from the common values which have sustained a lot of the world’s progress over the previous 75 years,” Blinken mentioned.
The speech, which outlined the Biden administration’s coverage towards China, comes because the U.S. warns the world’s second-largest economic system to not assist Moscow blunt international sanctions for the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. It additionally follows a Biden administration effort to calm Beijing’s anger over Biden’s remark that the U.S. was keen to make use of its army to defend Taiwan.
Blinken acknowledged that the U.S. should compete with China on a number of fronts, however took steps to keep away from ratcheting up tensions between the nations.
“We’ll align our efforts with our community of allies and companions appearing with a standard objective and customary trigger and harnessing these two key property, we’ll compete with China to defend our pursuits and our imaginative and prescient for the longer term,” Blinken mentioned.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks about US coverage in direction of China throughout an occasion hosted by the Asia Society Coverage Institute at George Washington College in Washington, DC, on Could 26, 2022.
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Photos
Blinken mentioned that the U.S. will proceed to make strategic investments in training, analysis, superior manufacturing and infrastructure in an effort to problem areas the place Beijing makes an attempt to guide the globe.
“We are able to get this finished and it could actually’t wait,” Blinken added, calling on U.S. lawmakers to go related laws such as a bill to boost semiconductor manufacturing.
The highest U.S. diplomat acknowledged that the U.S. and China can have a pivotal position to play within the international economic system in some of the “advanced and consequential relationships” the U.S. has with any nation. Because the world’s two largest economies should take care of one another “for the foreseeable future,” the U.S. needs to keep away from “battle or a brand new Chilly Warfare,” Blinken mentioned.
“We do not search to dam China from its position as a significant energy, nor to cease China – or any nation – from rising their economic system or advancing the pursuits of their folks,” he added.
The Chinese language Embassy in Washington, D.C., didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s request for remark.
Tensions between Beijing and Washington soared in the course of the Trump administration. Former President Donald Trump positioned blame squarely on China for a variety of grievances, together with mental property theft, unfair commerce practices and the coronavirus pandemic.
Blinken on Thursday tried to downplay the pressure between the 2 nations.
“We’ve profound variations with the Chinese language Communist Occasion and the Chinese language authorities, however these variations are between governments and programs and never between our folks,” Blinken mentioned.
“We respect their achievements and historical past, their tradition, and deeply worth the ties of household and friendship that join us. And we sincerely want for our governments to work collectively on points that matter,” he added.
President Joe Biden has beforehand mentioned that his administration is prepared for “excessive competitors” with China however that his approach would be different than his predecessor. He has additionally positioned larger emphasis on working extra carefully with allies in an effort to push again in opposition to China — fairly than taking steps to counter Beijing alone.
“We’ll confront China’s financial abuses,” Biden said during his first visit to the State Department in February. “However we’re additionally able to work with Beijing when it is in America’s curiosity to take action. We’ll compete from a place of power by constructing again higher at dwelling and dealing with our allies and companions,” he added.
The president has additionally mentioned that in his political profession he has spent extra time with China’s Xi Jinping than some other world chief.