Strategic intimacy: US seeks face-to-face rivalry with China
The HillApr 20
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Travels to China
The Facts
Following a recent phone call between US Pres. Joe Biden and Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has begun a three-day trip to Shanghai and Beijing in order to meet with Chinese officials.
Blinken's visit comes as the US Senate has approved two bills, one ordering Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell social media platform TikTok, and the other a $95B aid package to support Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Blinken's visit to China is yet another example of American intent to juggle continued communication with a tough stance against its biggest rival. While Pres. Xi will naturally attempt to present the trip as a sign of Chinese prosperity, Blinken is expected to raise a plethora of issues agreed by Republicans and Democrats alike that place Beijing as an inadmissible threat to US security.
Pro-China narrative
While China always remains open to joint cooperation with the US, this is dependent on honesty and action on Washington's behalf. Irrespective of opposing ideologies, the US must realize that they now exist within a multipolar global order — coming to China with a long list of unrealistic demands is not a conducive strategy to a long-term vision of compromise and co-existence.
Nerd narrative
There is a 10% chance of a US-China war before 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.