China’s hostile welcome for Blinken highlights its out-of-control hubris

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded a three-day visit to China. Despite his hopeful words, there appears to be no substantive progress on core issues.

The apparent lack of success is not surprising. First, the Chinese government had indicated that negotiations would be difficult.Earlier this week, the People’s Liberation Army Navy Launch of JL-2 intercontinental ballistic missile From a nuclear submarine. The JL-2 is designed to carry a 1 megaton nuclear warhead.

This launch is ostensibly 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Navy It was a celebration, but observers saw the event as a warning to the U.S. The launch had just taken place. 2 days ago Blinken arrived in Shanghai for a visit to Shanghai and Beijing, his second trip to China in a year.

The Chinese government prominently displays these missiles, carried in convoys of flatbed trucks, at military parades, even emblazoned with the “JL-2” markings, which appear to be for parade purposes only.

But the missiles weren’t the only sign of unkindness. For now, the Chinese government appears unwilling to engage in meaningful conversations with Washington, even with top U.S. diplomats.

First of all, the Chinese regime is very self-sufficient. For years, Xi Jinping has promoted ideas such as:East is rising, West is declining” Recently, he has even gone so far as to claim that he “already has control of the world.”

“Changes that haven’t happened in 100 years are coming,” Chinese leader said. To Vladimir Putin “And we are driving this change together.”

Unfortunately, the Biden administration’s policies are reinforcing this perception of China’s strength. The United States’ repeated attempts to foster dialogue are feeding on Beijing’s already inflated ego. monday report The Global Times said the visit by Blinken and other U.S. officials “demonstrates that the U.S. government cannot solve its domestic and global problems without China’s cooperation.”

What Biden intends as a friendly gesture is being interpreted in the Chinese capital as a recognition of U.S. weakness, a sign that Chinese officials have rejected at least some of Washington’s policies. It means that you think you have the right. Unfortunately, reciprocity does not work for Chinese communists, and they appear to be becoming even more arrogant.

Moreover, Beijing views Western democracies as weak because they are divided, particularly over Ukraine. Prior to his latest visit to China, Blinken had highlighted this as a focus of his visit.

“China shares machine tools, semiconductors, and other dual-purpose goods that are helping rebuild a defense industrial base that has been decimated by Russian sanctions and export controls,” Blinken said. He spoke in Italy on the 19th..

“China cannot have it both ways,” he continued. “You cannot claim to want to build positive and friendly relations with European countries and at the same time incite the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War.”

But the Chinese government definitely believes it can do both. Steve Yates, director of the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, told me that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: Visit to Beijing “It has significantly undermined the idea Mr. Blinken hopes to tout that Western countries will unite in imposing sanctions if China continues to support Russia’s military attack on Ukraine.”

“After significantly expanding trade with Russia since the invasion, mitigating the impact of sanctions, and helping replenish its military capabilities, the European anchor nation has warmed to Chinese leaders with abiding expectations for expanded trade and economic opportunities. I accepted,” Yates added.

Unfortunately, the Biden administration is also undermining Blinken. Reuters reported On Tuesday, the United States announced it had “no plans to impose sanctions on Chinese banks in the near term,” which would be the most effective measure at its disposal.

“Officials are hopeful that diplomacy will avoid the need for such action,” said a Biden administration official who declined to be named.

Biden said to China,lethal aid” has been demanding of Russia since almost the beginning of the conflict, but as Blinken’s comments demonstrate, China remained adamant. And now Washington has reportedly indicated it has no intention of doing anything meaningful regarding aiding China.

Why the reluctance? Because America still has hope that it can cooperate with China.

But that’s not realistic. Administration officials and other Americans did not want to admit that China and Russia were acting together to destabilize the international system. But neither Beijing nor Moscow has been shy about the nature of their relationship, with 5,300 words declaring their countries’ “unrestricted” partnership, for example. Joint statement Just 20 days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Beijing is anticipating Blinken’s visit.d It has conveyed to Washington that supporting Russia’s war effort is not America’s job.

“The Ukraine issue is not an issue between China and the United States, and the United States should not make it an issue between China and the United States.” This was announced by Chinese Foreign Ministry officials. on tuesday.

Comments on social media The former Mr. Hu Xijin Global Times Editor This further indicates China’s negative attitude towards Blinken. President Hu on Wednesday called Blinken’s visit to China “a plea.”

Blinken was given a cold shoulder in Shanghai. There was no red carpet, Hu pointed out. No senior Chinese official went to the airport to greet them.

And there was an unmistakable sign of contempt for Secretary Blinken and the country he represents: the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Gordon G. Chan is the author of The Coming Collapse of China and China Is Going to War. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter). @GordonGhang.