Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with PRC Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York City. The discussions covered a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, emphasizing the need to keep communication channels open.
"Secretary Blinken emphasized the importance of using diplomacy to responsibly manage competition, to candidly discuss areas of difference, and to make progress on areas of cooperation that matter to the American people and the world," said Spokesperson Matthew Miller. They discussed implementing commitments from the 2023 Woodside Summit, including counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, and talks on artificial intelligence risk and safety.
Blinken expressed concern over PRC support for Russia’s defense industrial base amid its aggression against Ukraine. He stressed the need for China to address Russia’s threat to transatlantic security. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns about China's actions in the South China Sea.
Human rights issues were also part of the conversation. "Secretary Blinken reiterated that it remains a top priority to resolve the cases of American citizens who are detained or subject to exit bans in China," Miller stated. Concerns regarding Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong were mentioned as well.
The meeting also touched upon technology-related issues. U.S. policy aims to prevent advanced technologies from being used in ways that could undermine national security. Both sides agreed to maintain contact on various regional and global matters.
