US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel J. Kritenbrink, made the remarks at a digital press briefing, which was followed from here on Tuesday.
"The two sides did agree to continue discussions on developing principles to guide the bilateral relationship, as discussed by President (Joe) Biden and President Xi (Jinping), in Bali,” he informed.
His statement referred to Blinken’s meetings with Chinese President Xi; Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Office, Wang Yi; and People’s Republic of China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, in Beijing on June 18 and 19, 2023.
Kritenbrink said that the two sides called for further progress in addressing specific issues related to the bilateral relationship by the joint working groups set up in 2021.
He gave the example of the two parties' agreement to strengthen the people-to-people exchange between students, scholars, and businesses, which includes a commitment to working to increase the number of direct flights between the two countries.
Secretary Blinken, he said, emphasized that resolving the cases of American citizens who have been wrongfully detained or subjected to exit bans in China remains a priority for the United States.
He also underscored the importance of working together to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs, especially fentanyl, and precursor chemicals to the United States, which is fueling its fentanyl crisis.
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On economic issues, Blinken drew attention to the People's Republic of China’s (PRC’s) unfair and non-market economic practices and recent actions against US firms.
He also discussed the historic investments that have been made by the US government, which were among the main focuses during the two days of discussions.
Kritenbrink said the secretary also raised concerns about the PRC’s human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as individual cases of concern.
In addition, Blinken underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The two sides also discussed a range of global and regional issues, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the North Korea’s provocative actions, and US concerns with PRC intelligence activities in Cuba.
"The secretary made clear that the United States will work with its allies and partners to advance our vision for a world that is free and open, and that upholds the rules-based international order," said Kritenbrink.
The two sides also stressed that the US and China should work together to address shared transnational challenges, such as climate change, global macroeconomic stability, food security, public health, and counternarcotics policies.
Blinken encouraged further interaction between the two governments in those and other areas because that's what the world expects from the two superpowers, said Kritenbrink.
Both sides also agreed to follow-on senior engagements in Washington and Beijing to continue open lines of communication.
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Reporter: Katriana
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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