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South China morning post
US-China relations: Biden’s choice for secretary of state is seen as ‘someone Beijing can work with’
The election of US President-elect Joe Biden for secretary of state is seen as moderate and someone Beijing could work with, Chinese analysts say, as China looks for clues about the future direction of the relationship. Biden announced Monday that he had nominated Antony Blinken. , his foreign policy adviser, to be America’s top diplomat. Analysts say the election could lead to a reversal in Washington’s policy toward China, which has seen tensions worsen between the world’s two largest economies under President Donald Trump, as they head toward what some call a “new Cold War”. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on great stories originating from China. Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations at Peking University, said Blinken may be an official that China can work with to stabilize “But whoever is appointed the next secretary of state will be better than the current one,” Jia said, referring to Mike Pompeo, a hawk from China and the target of frequent attacks in Beijing’s state media. “China does not expect a pro-China secretary of state. China hopes someone who can deal with US-China relations in a sensible way that serves the interests of the United States, “he said. “As long as it is done in a sensible way, there are many issues that the United States could work on with China that suit the interests of both.” Blinken is likely to push Washington back to its postwar international strategy of advancing interests by maintaining a world order that is favorable to the United States, which would mean a more predictable Chinese policy than under Trump, said Lu Xiang, a specialist in US affairs from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Blinken as secretary of state “With his experience, Biden is likely to make some important foreign policy decisions,” Lu said. “Blinken is not a charismatic or provocative guy, but he’s a pragmatic guy … if confirmed, I’ll personally see it as good news.” Blinken, 58, has been a longtime adviser to Biden, including as his top adviser on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as a national security adviser from 2009 to 2013, while Biden was vice president. As Barack Obama’s undersecretary of state from 2015 to 2017, Blinken met with top Chinese diplomats, including Yang Jiechi, now a member of the Politburo and a communist.He also met with Tsai Ing-wen at the State Department headquarters in 2015, when was a presidential candidate and was elected Taiwan’s leader in 2016. Amid warm relations between the United States and Taiwan, Hsiao Bi-khim, the island’s representative in Washington, spoke to Blinken by phone last week to congratulate Biden on his electoral victory. The US admiral’s covert visit to Taiwan is sure to upset China Blinken previously said that Biden would engage China from a “position of strength” and would focus on restoring US democracy and its relations with allies. He also recognized the bipartisan vision of China as a great challenge. and he pledged that America’s allies unite to confront Beijing on issues such as trade practices. “When we work with allies and partners, depending on who we bring in, it’s 50 or 60 percent of GDP. That’s a lot more weight and a lot harder for China to ignore, “he said during a July event at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank. At the same event, he also named climate change as” a number one priority. one. “in foreign relations under Biden. During his campaign, Biden said climate change was a key area for cooperation with Beijing. However, Blinken, like other members of Biden’s foreign policy team, has more experience. in the Middle East than US-China relations, according to Lu. [Jake] Sullivan contributed a lot to the Iran nuclear talks in open negotiation and back door diplomacy above, “Lu said, referring to the Obama administration’s 2015 deal with Iran, from which Trump withdrew in 2018.” It remains to be seen whether that experience will be helpful to US-China ties, “he said. Sullivan, a State Department veteran, is Biden’s candidate for national security adviser. But Lu also pointed to Blinken’s aggressive comments about technology and its reference to China as an -autocracy. “” We have to do a much better job of leading, coordinating, and working with the other techno-democracies to make sure we get the day and not China, “Blinken said. during an interview with CBS News in September. From the South China Morning Post: * Do not assume US-China relations will improve with Joe Biden, warns government adviser * China supports European push for ‘strategic autonomy’, says Wang Yi * Joe Biden to appoint Antony Blinken as Secretary of State * Joe Biden’s Foreign Pol Icy Elections Mark a Shift from Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ Approach * China’s Wang Yi Heads to Tokyo to ‘Test the Waters’ with Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga first appeared on the South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post, download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
