China’s leadership and the administration of President Joe Biden are increasingly at odds. The problems seemed to reach a boiling point in February when it was revealed that the adversarial superpower had secretly launched spy balloons above US military installations to gather intelligence. In response to the aggressive action, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a planned trip to the Asian country. The Biden administration is currently being ignored by China as the secretary of state tries to reschedule his trip.
Biden already gave his approval for Blinken’s travel in November 2022. The government wanted to improve relations between the two nations, but felt that a change of approach was necessary in light of China’s monitoring activities. Given that the spy balloons had been flying above the United States for “the past several years,” some experts felt that the move represented a missed chance for further diplomatic attempts.
China ghosts Blinken on rescheduling diplomatic visit amid mounting tensions https://t.co/j4AEDv5z2q
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) April 5, 2023
Instead, it seems that the delay has made the gap between the two governments wider. China has refused Blinken’s requests to reschedule the visit. Given the extreme levels of tension, the other nation’s silence may be more powerful than any words.
Wednesday, March 5, saw a visit from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), which probably made the abrupt cold shoulder worse. Beijing has criticized Washington’s backing of the island country, which it claims should be ruled by its communist government. The recent meeting, according to foreign officials who spoke at a news conference, “undermined China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
US officials have tried to set up a call between Biden and Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, but Xi Jinping’s representatives have likewise ignored them. In retaliation, the White House issued a formal statement stressing that dialogue between the two nations “on shared interests of concern” continue. They simply don’t seem to be discussing any fresh diplomatic visits.
