Blinken and Xi report progress on U.S.-China relations, but military communication remains elusive

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday. Wrapping up a two-day high-stakes mission to China, America’s top diplomat held “candid, constructive” talks with President Xi Jinping and other officials that eased tensions but left major, daunting differences unresolved, both sides said Monday. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said “we have made progress” but there remain “many issues on which we profoundly, even vehemently disagree,” such as China’s military expansion, threats to the self-ruled island of Taiwan and human rights. “And in other places we have a lot more work to do.” Blinken added that “progress is hard,” noting “it takes time; it takes more than one visit, one trip, one conversation.” Xi seemed pleased with the meeting, saying he concurred that the world needs a stable U.S.-China relationship, with neither country attempting to challenge or replace the other, according to the official Xinhua news service. The Chinese president said the meeting was “positive” and the two sides “made progress and reached some agreements,” China Central Television reported, without elaboration.