Senior US, China diplomats meet as tensions run high over Taiwan

Talks expected to pave way for meeting between leaders of both countries

 

NEW YORK – Senior diplomats from the United States and China met on Friday with tensions high after an explicit pledge by US President Joe Biden to defend Taiwan.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shook hands in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, but did not respond to shouted questions from the media as they sat down for talks.

The US State Department had said earlier that the meeting was part of Washington’s ongoing efforts to “maintain open lines of communication and manage competition responsibly”.

It was their first encounter since extensive talks in Bali in July, where both sides appeared optimistic about more stability.

One month later in August, however, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, infuriating Beijing. China staged unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan which were seen as a trial run for an invasion of the island.

China regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified, by force if necessary.