09:30, 20 June 2023
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS. The recent meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken was highly important because of the unstable global situation in the multipolar world order, and because the risk of the use of nuclear weapons has increased in some regions, according to expert on China Mher Sahakyan.
During the meeting with Blinken, the Chinese President said that they have recorded progress and reached agreements over several concrete issues. The parties agreed to adhere to the common understanding reached during the 2022 G20 summit in Bali.
“At this phase, the normalization of the United States-China relations is of great importance not only for the two countries but the whole world, and if they find solutions that would help ease the tension and avoid a direct confrontation it would definitely be a positive signal for resolving the existing conflicts in international relations as well,” Sahakyan told ARMENPRESS when asked to comment on the prospect of normalization between China and the United States.
Sahakyan said that the recent Beijing meeting was a preparation for a future meeting between Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss global issues, including the sanctions. However, Sahakyan believes that it’s unlikely for the U.S. to cancel the sanctions as Washington will try to pressure China’s technological development.
“Bilateral meetings are highly important as they allow easing the tensions because the parties see what’s happening in the European region, particularly in Ukraine, where nuclear and strategic facilities are already being bombarded, the consequences of which will soon be felt by the residents of entire Europe, thus they will try to avoid a similar scenario in Taiwan,” Sahakyan said.
If a war were to erupt in Taiwan the entire international geo-economic system would be affected, especially when the global development center has long shifted to the Asia-Pacific.
The expert believes that cautious policy will make the U.S. and Chinese leaders find solutions, thus a meeting between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden could be of crucial importance.
China and the United States agreed on Monday to stabilize their rivalry so it does not veer into conflict, but no major breakthrough was achieved.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed "progress" after shaking hands with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The top U.S. diplomat and Xi both stressed the importance of having a more stable relationship, as any conflict between the world's two largest economies would create global disruption.
U.S. President Joe Biden said later on Monday he thinks relations between the two countries are on the right path, and indicated that progress was made during Blinken's trip.
"We're on the right trail here," Biden was quoted as saying by Reuters when asked on U.S.-China relations. Asked by reporters during a trip to California whether he felt progress had been made, he replied, "I don't feel," he said. "You know it's been made."
Biden said of Blinken: "He did a hell of a job."