On Friday Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, which brought to a close the US top diplomat’s three day visit to China. 

Blinken warned the Chinese leader of another potential “downward spiral” in relations and the two sides agreed this should be avoided, however, there were plenty of not so subtle barbs, warnings and threats exchanged.

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President Xi in comments underscored that Beijing and Washington “should be partners rather than adversaries” – a familiar theme of top Chinese officials of late. “The world is big enough to accommodate the simultaneous development and prosperity of both China and the United States,” he said according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout.

But he added the caveat that US-China relations will only stabilize once the US takes “a positive and constructive view of China’s development.” 

“I proposed three major principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. They are not only a summary of past experience, but also a guide to the future,” the Chinese leader was quoted as saying.

Blinken responded in a statement to reporters by emphasizing “We want China’s economy to grow” but it remains that “the way China grows matters.”

“That means fostering a healthy economic relationship where American workers and firms are treated equally and fairly,” he continued, highlighting the Biden admin talking point of China’s unfair trade practices and the potential for certain US sectors being overrun with Chinese products.

During this second trip to China in less than a year by Blinken, the Secretary of State also called out China related to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China’s support,” Blinken claimed provocatively, while also asserting China is the “top supplier” of Russia’s defense industrial base – albeit not in terms of lethal aid (but instead “dual use” technologies).

Blinken threatened punitive against on China if it continues to give support to Russia amid the Ukraine onslaught…

🇺🇸 Footage of Blinken threatening action against China if it continues to support Russia. pic.twitter.com/spt9AxMHFb

— S p r i n t e r F a c t o r y (@Sprinterfactory) April 26, 2024

This alleged support to Russia’s defense industry additionally constitutes a “medium to long-term threat that many Europeans feel viscerally that Russia poses to them,” Blinken continued.

He warned that the Biden administration is ready to introduce more sanctions against China if dual-use goods and technologies continue to be sent to Russia, including things previously listed such as: semiconductors, machine tools, chemical precursors, ball bearings, and optical systems.

As expected, China’s foreign ministry hit back at the commentary and accusations, saying Blinken is “unreasonably criticizing the normal trade and economic relations between Russia and China” – at a moment it’s pouring billions into one side of the war: Ukraine… while refusing to press for peace negotiations. “This is a very hypocritical and irresponsible approach,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbing told reporters later in the day Friday.