US' Blinken discusses human rights with Chinese official, urges Beijing to maintain cross-strait stability

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over human rights inChinaand urged “maintaining peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait, during a meeting with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington, said the State Department.

The meeting took place hours before (Washington time) Taiwan headed to presidential and parliamentary elections, on Saturday (Jan 13).

What did the officials discuss?

“The two sides had a constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including areas of potential cooperation and areas of difference,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, in a statement.

Washington and Beijing have held regular discussions recently to keep communication lines open between the world’s two largest economies.

The meeting is the latest in a flurry of engagements between the two nations following the summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco, California.

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According to the state department, the two officials also discussed North Korea, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the situation in the Red Sea and the Middle East.

Discussions about Taiwan

During the recent meeting, Washington’s top diplomat asked Beijing to maintain cross-strait stability as Taiwan headed to polls to choose a new president.

“The Secretary reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea,” said Miller.

In recent weeks, China has ramped up pressure on the self-ruled island which Beijing has claimed as its own territory – a claim that Taiwan’s incumbent government has repeatedly rejected.

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The elections come amid Chinese balloons hovering over Taiwan and Xi’s New YearaddresscallingChina’s “reunification” with Taiwan inevitable.

The presidential frontrunner and Vice President from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lai Ching-te, whosupports Taiwan’s separate identity recently accused China of trying to undermine the election and said that it is engaging in “unprecedented” levels of interference.

However, US officials have reportedly said that they do not see Chinese statements and actions as out of the ordinary for a Taiwan election.

The United States has “deep confidence in Taiwan’s democratic process and believe it is for Taiwan voters to decide their next leader free from outside interference,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Thursday (Jan 11).

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American support for Taiwan’s self-ruled status is especially strong in the US Congress, where the Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution hailing the “example it (Taiwan) has set for self-governance, not just for the Pacific region, but for the world.”

(With inputs from agencies)