Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit China this week to make fresh threats about Beijing’s support for Russia, as the House greenlights a new $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.
A senior State Department official previewed Mr. Blinken’s April 24-26 trip to China in a call with reporters on Friday and explained how Mr. Blinken will meet with Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing. .
“I don’t have anything specific to announce to you today, but as we have shown over the past weeks and months, we will take the necessary steps to protect our national interests. We would like to emphasize that we are fully committed to “and against companies that are taking measures that are contrary to our interests and seriously undermine the security of Ukraine and Europe, as we have shown here.” We are prepared to take action if we deem it necessary,” a senior State Department official said. the official said. “And I think we’ve shown that we’re willing to do that, not just in China, but in terms of companies in many countries. And in any case, again, this is something that we’ve shown while we’re in Beijing. I think it will be an important issue to discuss.”
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a press conference at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. (Britta Pedersen/Photo Alliance via Getty Images)
Blinken said he spoke with G7 foreign ministers on Friday about concerns about “the transfer of a wide range of munitions and weapons components used by Russia to advance its military production from companies in China to Russia.” “The concern is that Russia, through Chinese assistance, is significantly rebuilding its defense industrial base, which will not only have an impact on the battlefield in Ukraine, but also pose a greater threat to broader European security. We believe that
Mr. Blinken and other U.S. diplomats will express these concerns to China and signal “our intent to force China to reduce its assistance,” which poses a growing “threat to European security,” the official said. Ta.
The State Department could not immediately confirm whether Blinken would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. A senior State Department official confirmed to reporters that Mr. Blinken was scheduled to meet with his counterpart, Director-General and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
![Blinken and G7 leaders at roundtable in Capri](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/04/1200/675/GettyImages-2147895061.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and officials from the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Japan, and Germany will attend the G7 meeting in Capri on April 18, 2024. (Remo Casili/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
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In Shanghai and Beijing, the Secretary “repeated leaders’ commitments in San Francisco to advance cooperation on issues such as counternarcotics, strengthen military-to-military communications, and establish talks on the risks and safety of artificial intelligence.” According to a senior State Department official, the focus will be on implementing the measures. He said.
The State Department outlined three goals for Blinken’s visit. The first is to “deliver progress on key issues,” “communicate clearly and directly our concerns on bilateral, regional, and global issues,” and the third is “to hold competition accountable to avoid miscalculations.” Take it and manage it.” Or conflict. ”
![Wang Yi press conference](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/04/1200/675/GettyImages-2147892081.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Rosa Pangavian/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Blinken is expected to “clearly and candidly raise concerns about a range of issues, from human rights and unfair economic and trade practices to the impact of China’s industrial overcapacity on the global economy.”
The official said the secretary would “also reiterate deep concerns about China’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base” and “discuss the crisis in the Middle East” and “also discuss challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including China’s provocations in the South China Sea.” said. So are North Korea’s threatening rhetoric and reckless actions. ”
The official told reporters that Blinken will “discuss the Burma crisis” and “also reaffirm the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
At last week’s G7 summit, Blinken outlined the type of aid China is sending to Russia.
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“When it comes to Russia’s defense industrial base, the main contributor right now is China,” Blinken told reporters in Capri, Italy. “We believe that China shares machine tools, semiconductors and other dual-purpose goods, and these items are helping Russia rebuild its defense industrial base destroyed by sanctions and export controls. If on the one hand China wants good relations with Russia, then on the other hand it wants to have good relations with Europe and other countries, which poses the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. You can’t provoke it.”