Trip Follows Postponement Due to Spy Balloon Incident

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to travel to China next week as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to mend the increasingly strained relationship between the U.S. and China. U.S. officials indicate that Blinken plans to be in Beijing on June 18 for meetings with senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Qin Gang and potentially President Xi Jinping.

This visit, originally scheduled for February, was postponed after a diplomatic incident involving a Chinese spy balloon that the U.S. shot down. Beijing claimed the balloon was a weather device that had drifted off course. Since then, while there have been some communications between the two countries, they have been infrequent and marked by rising tensions over various issues, including China’s actions in the South China Sea, its stance toward Taiwan, and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Recently, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s request for a meeting with China’s defense minister at a security symposium in Singapore was declined. However, there have been some positive engagements; China’s commerce minister visited the U.S. last month, and in early May, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Vienna. The White House described this meeting as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and manage competition responsibly.

Additionally, Daniel Kritenbrink, the top U.S. diplomat for the Asia-Pacific region, visited China earlier this week alongside a senior National Security Council official. This series of diplomatic interactions underscores the importance both nations place on maintaining communication amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.