U.S. Rep. Ted Budd critiques reported Blinken trip to China | Budd's Facebook page
U.S. Rep. Ted Budd critiques reported Blinken trip to China | Budd's Facebook page
Some Republicans are on edge over a June 18 diplomatic trip to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to boost relations amid recent tensions between the superpowers. The meeting, originally scheduled a year ago for February, was scrubbed in the wake of the Chinese spy balloon scandal, a PBS report said.
“The Biden administration’s China trip that was postponed over the spy balloon is back on without any consequences for the CCP,” Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina, said in a post on Facebook. “President Biden must stop this hat-in-hand diplomacy.”
Since the balloon incident, contacts between the U.S. and China have been rare, and tensions have risen over China’s military actions in the South China Sea, aggressive behavior toward Taiwan and support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, PBS said.
Before Sunday, the U.S. State Department was saying Blinken had no travel plans. However, it was widely reported on Sunday that Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang Qin, and the State Department issued a statement saying, "Blinken held candid, substantive, and constructive talks today with People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing."
The statement added, "The Secretary raised a number of issues of concern, as well as opportunities to explore cooperation on shared transnational issues with the PRC where our interests align. The Secretary made clear that the United States will always stand up for the interests and values of the American people and work with its allies and partners to advance our vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the international rules-based order."
Blinken was to meet with additional Chinese officials on Monday. PBS reported that a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping was a possibility.
According to NBC News, what the U.S. called a spy balloon, estimated to be the size of three school buses, was shot down off the coast of South Carolina. It is now believed it was collecting information from a number of military sites. However, Chinese leaders continue to deny the allegations, saying it was just an errant airship that veered off course, NBC said.
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