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Updated February 1st, 2023 at 17:14 IST

US State Secretary Blinken to raise Russia-Ukraine war with officials during China visit

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to raise the most pressing issue at hand, the Russia-Ukraine war, during his upcoming visit to Beijing, China.

Reported by: Deeksha Sharma
Blinken
Image: AP | Image:self
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to raise the most pressing issue at hand, the Russia-Ukraine war, during his upcoming visit to China. According to Kyodo News, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that the raging war in Europe will be a key topic that will be brought up by Blinken during his Beijing visit, which is likely to happen on February 5 and 6. 

The trip, which hasn’t been officially announced yet, will be the first one by a US Secretary of State in over four years. The key focus of Blinken’s visit, according to Kirby, is to revive communication channels between the US and China that have been on a hiatus ever since former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last year in August.

"This is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world," the spokesman said during a  press briefing. Blinken’s forthcoming meeting comes after US President Joe Biden met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping earlier in November on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Despite the meeting, China and the US continue to stand on opposite sides of the spectrum on various issues such as the Taiwan conflict, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and human rights. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Secretary of State met Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem during turbulent times of clashes and unrest in the Middle East. 

Blinken meets Netanyahu

Blinken, during the meeting, conveyed the United States’ concerns about the Netanyahu government’s plans to overhaul Israel’s judicial system and the soaring tensions between Israel and Palestine. "Throughout the relationship between our countries, what we come back to time and again is that it is rooted both in shared interests and in shared values," Blinken said.

"That includes our support for core democratic principles and institutions, including respect for human rights, the equal administration of justice for all, the equal rights of minority groups, the rule of law, free press, a robust civil society – and the vibrancy of Israel’s civil society has been on full display of late," he added according to The Times of Israel. 

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Published February 1st, 2023 at 17:14 IST

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