Not only does China intend to bend the international system to its will, but it also increasingly has economic, military, technological and diplomatic power, according to Blinken. He said the United States would confront unfair trade practices and economic coercion by Beijing by all means.
Blinken said the Communist Party under President Xi Jinping had “become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad.” He called on China to abide by international rules.
The speech comes a day after President Joe Biden visited Japan and South Korea, where he agreed to enhance cooperation with these countries. The White House would have considered Biden giving the speech, but chose Blinken to prevent tensions from escalating.
Blinken says cooperation between the two superpowers in areas such as climate, epidemic prevention and arms control is essential. He thus distanced himself from the approach of the previous administration under Donald Trump, which often spoke of a global conflict with China.
Therefore, attempts to thwart Chinese economic growth are out of the question. Washington will do everything in its power to prevent the “export” of the Chinese model. A “China House” is being created within the State Department to guide US policy toward China to all regions of the world.
On Taiwan, Blinken said that China is threatening to destabilize the peace and stability of the whole region with provocative rhetoric and various actions. Blinken said the United States will continue to assist what Beijing believes are a breakaway province. “What has changed is the increasing coercion on the part of Beijing, such as attempts to end Taiwan’s relations with countries around the world and prevent any (the island’s) participation in international organizations.”
