Secretary of State for USA, Anthony Blinkensaid on Saturday that China should not hold talks on important global issues such as the climate crisis as “hostages”, after beijing cut off contact with Washington in retaliation for the visit of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosia Taiwan earlier this week.
Blinken spoke at an online press conference with his Philippine counterpart in Manila after meeting with the newly elected president. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials, as relations between Washington and Beijing reach their worst level in years.
Pelosi’s trip to the self-governing island outraged China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory to be forcibly annexed if necessary. China last Thursday launched military exercises off the coast of Taiwan and cut off contacts with the United States on vital issues, including military affairs and crucial climate cooperation, such as punishments against Pelosi’s visit.
“We must not hold cooperation hostage on matters of global concern because of the differences between our two countries.”Blinken said. “Others rightly expect us to continue working on issues that matter to the lives and livelihoods of their people, as well as our own”.
He cited cooperation on climate change as a key area where China closed the deal that “it doesn’t punish the United States, it punishes the world.”
“The world’s largest carbon emitter is now refusing to participate in the fight against the climate crisis,” Blinken said.adding that China’s launch of ballistic missiles that landed in waters surrounding Taiwan was a dangerous and destabilizing move.
“What happens with the Taiwan Strait affects the entire region. In many ways, it affects the whole world because the Strait, like the South China Sea, is a critical waterway.”he said, noting that nearly half of the world’s container fleet and nearly 90% of the world’s largest ships transit the waterway.
Despite China’s actions, Blinken said he told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday in Cambodia, where they were attending an annual ministerial meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, that the United States did not want to escalate the situation.
“We seek to de-escalate those tensions and we believe that dialogues are a very important element of that,” he said, adding that the United States “will keep our channels of communication open with China with the intention of avoiding an escalation of misunderstanding or miscommunication.” .
Blinken is the highest-ranking US official to visit the Philippines since Marcos Jr. took office on June 30 after a landslide election victory. In his brief meeting with Blinken, Marcos Jr. mentioned that he was surprised by the turn of events related to Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan this week.
“I don’t think, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t think it would raise the intensity, it just showed it, how intense that conflict has been,” Marcos Jr. said, based on a transcript released by the presidential palace.
“This just goes to show how volatile the international diplomatic scene is not just in the region,” he added.
Marcos Jr. praised the vital relationship between Manila and Washington, which are treaty allies, and US assistance to the Philippines over the years.
Blinken reiterated to Marcos Jr. Washington’s commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines and “to work with you on shared challenges.”
“Our relationship is quite extraordinary because it’s really based on friendship, it’s also built on partnership and it’s strengthened by the fact that it’s an alliance,” Blinken said.
Blinken arrived in Manila on Friday night after attending ASEAN ministerial meetings in Cambodia, where he was joined by his Chinese and Russian counterparts.
During those meetings, ASEAN foreign ministers called for “utmost restraint” as China mounted war games around Taiwan and retaliatory measures against the United States, fearing the situation “could destabilize the region and could eventually lead to miscalculations.” , serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences between major powers”.
In Manila, Blinken was also scheduled to visit a vaccination clinic and meet with groups helping fight coronavirus outbreaks and then attend a clean energy fair and meet with US Embassy staff before flying out on Saturday. in the evening.
Shortly before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, as speculation mounted that her plane might stop briefly at the former US Clark Air Force base north of Manila for refueling, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said in a TV interview that he hoped “the Philippine side will strictly abide by the one-China principle and handle all Taiwan-related issues prudently to ensure sound and steady development of China-Philippines relations.”
Huang’s comments drew a sharp rebuke from opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, who said “the ambassador should not pontificate on such policies, especially given that his country stubbornly and steadfastly refuses to recognize a decision handed down by an international arbitral tribunal.” and ignores and disregards international law in the Western Philippine Sea when it suits their interest.”
Hontiveros was referring to a 2016 arbitration ruling on a Philippine complaint that invalidated China’s vast territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea. He used the Philippine name for the disputed waters.
China has dismissed that ruling, which was welcomed by the United States and Western allies, as a farce and continues to challenge it.
(with information from AP)
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Source-www.infobae.com