SPECULUM VERUM
-The most important topic that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken failed to make progress in his trip to China, It was the re-establishment of communication that had been cut between the two countries' Ministries of Defense.. Beijing again rejected this offer from the USA and Blinken returned to Washington empty-handed..
US President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, They frequently called for the resumption of communication between the "Pentagon" and the "Chinese People's Liberation Army". US and Chinese warships repeatedly come face to face in the Taiwan Strait. Sometimes frictions occur as a result of these eye-to-eye contact., tensions are occurring. It is important for the USA that the lines of "military-to-military contact" are open so that an "unexpected" conflict does not occur..
China's rejection of "military-to-military contacts" is not without reason. ABD, 2018Sanctioned General Li Shangfu, who heads the "Equipment Development Department" of the Chinese Army, under the "Combating U.S. Adversaries Through Sanctions Act".. The sanction was related to China's purchase of "Su-35" warplanes and "S-400" missile systems from Russia. Shangfu, who was appointed to the Ministry of Defense in March 2023, Earned the title of top interlocutor for the Pentagon.
Washington was unwilling to suspend sanctions on Shangfu, despite its strong desire for “military-to-military contacts”. Beijing does not want these contacts to be re-established before sanctions against Shungfu are lifted.. Shangfu faced off with Lloyd Austin earlier this month at a defense forum in Singapore., handshake, but he turned down the offer to meet.
Attempts to contact Shangfu, which the US sanctioned, according to analysts, illogical. The US insists that the sanction does not technically prohibit meeting between Austin and Li.. The US does not show empathy to understand the feelings of the Chinese. Sanction decision makes Beijing feel that the US does not see China as equal. According to Beijing, this sanction is a humiliating decision for China.. if USA, Ignoring China's discomfort.
As a matter of fact, if, not just your competitors, not trying to understand the feelings of even their allies stands out as typical American behavior. This attitude also applies to the so-called grand strategies of the USA.. Analysts also point out that the United States has failed to develop "strategic empathy".. According to some commentators, this behavior is a reflection of "American arrogance"..
Chinese 19. In the 19th century, it was exposed to the attacks of Western colonialists, especially England.. The Chinese never forgot the surrender agreements that took place as a result of the "Opium Wars".. The Chinese describe the time period that covers these wars and agreements as the "Century of Humiliation".. The Chinese have a deep hatred of anything reminiscent of the "Century of Humiliation". Therefore, the failure to lift the sanctions on Shungfu poses a serious obstacle to the progress of the dialogue initiatives between the US and China as desired by the Biden Administration..
Just a day after Blinken's visit to China, US President Biden cited the "Chinese balloon" incident detected flying over US airspace at a fundraiser., “The reason why Xi Jinping was so upset when I dropped that balloon filled with spy equipment, was that he didn't know it was there. I am serious. When they don't understand what's going on, "It's a great shame for dictators," he said.. These words of Biden about Xi were interpreted as Blinken may have 'forgotten' his Beijing visit to improve dialogue with China..
At a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the "White House" on Thursday, Biden asked journalists: "Have these comments about President Xi undermined or complicated your administration's progress in maintaining relations with China??He also gave an interesting answer to the question. Biden, He stated that he did not think that his words about Xi would hinder the dialogue efforts., “Minister Blinken had a wonderful trip to China.. "I hope to meet with President Xi in the near future," he said..
Of course, Beijing was angry when Biden uttered these words while he was with Modi, who had some border conflicts with China.. On the other hand, the "Biden-Modi Meeting" has a nature that will disturb China., critical minerals, semiconductors, technology, space cooperation, It should be noted that it includes comprehensive agreements on defense cooperation and arms sales, including unmanned aerial vehicles..