teleSUR – Antony Blinken, who visited Europe last week to meet with NATO and European Union leaders, gave Italian newspaper La Stampa an interview where he spoke at length on the issue of China in terms of recent tensions between the U.S. and its European allies as opposed to the Asian giant.
“Our relationship with Beijing, like that of many of our allies, is competitive in some cases, collaborative in others, and antagonistic in others still. However, there is a common denominator, namely the need to confront China from a position of strength, which starts with strong alliances, coordination, and cooperation,” Blinken said during the interview.
The diplomat promised that the U.S. would not force allies to “choose” between Washington and Beijing and suggested that America’s goal was “not to contain China or keep it down,” but “preserve the rules-based international order, in which we have all invested so much over the past 75 years, and which has served our interests and values well”.
“When someone challenges this system, be it China or others – when they do not play by or respect the rules, or try to undermine the commitments made by others, we all have reason to object,” Blinken said, accusing Beijing of “undermining this order, violating human rights and other commitments.”
Relations between the West and China are at their lowest this month since the 1989 Tian Amen Square events. A flurry of sanctions has been exchanged between the U.S., the EU, Britain, and Canada on one side, accusing China of severe human rights abuses in Xinjiang province against the Uyghur Muslim minority. On the other end, Beijing targets Western nationals and organizations pushing the Uyghur issue while denying that the minority’s rights were being violated and bringing to light Western nations’ historical mistreatment of minorities during their colonial past.
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