US and China discuss Ukraine, Taiwan
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the phone on Saturday about Russia’s conflict with Ukraine and China’s Taiwan policy.
During the meeting, Wang reportedly told Blinken that the Ukraine conflict is complicated and “closely related to the security interests of various parties,” according to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua.
Wang urged his counterpart to not just focus on solving the immediate crisis, but to also maintain stability for the long-term in the region, and also expressed China’s belief that the conflict with Ukraine should be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
“Wang said that the Chinese side hopes that the fighting will stop as soon as possible, the situation on the ground will be eased, the security of civilians and property will be effectively guaranteed, and a large-scale humanitarian crisis will be prevented,” Xinhua reported, noting that Wang also said China opposes any actions which “add fuel to the flames.”
Additionally, Wang told Blinken that the US, NATO, and the European Union should engage in “equal dialogue” with Russia, acknowledge the frictions between the powers over the years, and “pay attention to the negative impact of NATO’s continuous eastward expansion on Russia’s security.”
On the topic of Taiwan, Wang reportedly expressed “grave concern” over recent statements and actions from US officials on the matter which run counter to Beijing’s One China policy.
The foreign minister reiterated that Taiwan is an “inalienable part of China’s territory” and that the topic of Taiwan is an internal Chinese affair, before advising the US to stop encouraging Taiwanese independence efforts and interfering in the matter.
In its own statement, the US State Department said Blinken warned Wang that “the world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination and sovereignty.”
“He underscored that the world is acting in unison to repudiate and respond to the Russian aggression, ensuring that Moscow will pay a high price,” it continued. The statement did not mention Blinken and Wang’s discussion of Taiwan.
