Blinken hints at China trip this year to restart regular dialogue

Top U.S. diplomat underlines need to avoid competition veering 'into conflict'

20230503N Blinken Cities Summit of the Americas AP

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a trip to China in February following the Chinese spy balloon incident. © AP

YUKIHIRO SAKAGUCHI, Nikkei staff writer

May 4, 2023 05:26 JST

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said he hoped to make a trip to China sometime in 2023, stressing the need to "reestablish regular lines of communication at all levels and across our government."

"We're in a competition with China; there's no secret about that," said Blinken at an event hosted by The Washington Post. "But we have a strong interest in trying to make sure that that competition doesn't veer into conflict."