• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The NY Journals
  • Home
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Trending
  • Home
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Trending
No Result
View All Result
The NY Journals
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

A Balloon Clouds US View On Xi’s China

by Sarkiya Ranen
in Politics
A Balloon Clouds US View On Xi’s China
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


China’s President Xi Jinping and China’s then Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend the G20 summit in Bali on November 16, 2022
AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had planned a rare visit to Beijing to manage tensions but also to answer a question — was there substance behind a new, seemingly more conciliatory tone in Beijing?

With the discovery of what the Pentagon called a Chinese surveillance balloon in US airspace, Blinken has called off the trip and, experts say, has had his question unceremoniously answered.

Blinken said he still wanted to visit at a later date and keep communication open, part of a longstanding US effort to preserve dialogue with the rising Asian power.

But the decision to postpone the trip shows both the level of US concern and the political climate in Washington, where President Joe Biden’s Republican rivals are eager to find ways to label him as weak on China.

Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said that a balloon floating over US airspace was a more tangible concern for Americans than the myriad other disputes with China — from chip exports to human rights.

Stokes said that the US administration had already been skeptical at gestures from China, starting with President Xi Jinping’s friendly meeting with Biden in November on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Bali.

“The question was, is this change in tone indicative of any sort of substantive change in how China conducts itself in the world?” Stokes said.

“And so far the answer has been no.”

The question now becomes whether the balloon incident marks “the postponement of the process” seen in Bali, or “is it really the end of what was always going to be a pretty nascent process?”

The window to make headway between the United States and China had always looked narrow, with February considered an ideal date for Blinken.

Next year will see elections both in the United States and in Taiwan, the self-governing democracy claimed by Beijing.

Likely sooner than that, Kevin McCarthy, the new Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, is expected to visit Taiwan, following in the footsteps of his Democratic predecessor Nancy Pelosi whose trip prompted Beijing to wage major war games.

In signs poured over by watchers of China policy, Beijing issued an unusual statement of regret over the airspace incident, although it insisted it was a civilian meteorological unit that went astray.

Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said that some theorized that the balloon was sent as sabotage by an opponent of better US relations.

She dismissed the idea, noting that Xi himself was expected to meet Blinken.

“I think that’s why Blinken’s visit had been attached a high level of importance in China, because they actually want to work with the Americans to improve relations, especially given the Chinese priority is in economic recovery,” she said.

“But then the next question is — what does this say about Chinese decision-making?”

Lower-level officials may have thought they could act without US knowledge or ramifications, she said.

Matthew Kroenig, a former defense official now at the Atlantic Council, said the episode could mark a dangerous escalation — a newfound interest by China in US nuclear weapons, many of which are stored in silos in remote western areas of the United States.

Contrary to Pentagon assessments of low intelligence value, China is unlikely to take such risk without seeing benefits, he said.

“In fact, it gave Beijing the ability to better map US intercontinental ballistic missile silos for future targeting and to gauge the US response,” he said.

The effort may indicate that China is shifting its doctrine to a goal of eliminating US nuclear weapons in strikes in the event of war, Kroenig said.

“It shows a brazen belief in Beijing that the Chinese Communist Party can violate US airspace without consequences.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses reporters after scrapping a trip to China
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses reporters after scrapping a trip to China
AFP
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, seen at a news conference in the Capitol on February 2, 2023, has vowed to visit Taiwan
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, seen at a news conference in the Capitol on February 2, 2023, has vowed to visit Taiwan
AFP



Source link

Tags: BalloonChinaCloudsViewXis
Sarkiya Ranen

Sarkiya Ranen

I am an editor for Ny Journals, focusing on business and entrepreneurship. I love uncovering emerging trends and crafting stories that inspire and inform readers about innovative ventures and industry insights.

Next Post
“Action Might Not Be Palatable”: Supreme Court Warns Centre Amid Tussle

"Action Might Not Be Palatable": Supreme Court Warns Centre Amid Tussle

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Seat-Sharing To Be On Agenda At INDIA’s First Coordination Panel Meet Today

Seat-Sharing To Be On Agenda At INDIA’s First Coordination Panel Meet Today

2 years ago
“Was Not Trusting Other Batters”: Pakistan Great Slams KL Rahul After India’s Loss In World Cup Final | Cricket News

“Was Not Trusting Other Batters”: Pakistan Great Slams KL Rahul After India’s Loss In World Cup Final | Cricket News

2 years ago

Popular News

    Connect with us

    The NY Journals pride themselves on assembling a proficient and dedicated team comprising seasoned journalists and editors. This collective commitment drives us to provide our esteemed readership with nothing short of the most comprehensive, accurate, and captivating news coverage available.

    Transcending the bounds of New York City to encompass a broader scope, we ensure that our audience remains well-informed and engaged with the latest developments, both locally and beyond.

    NEWS

    • Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Real Estate
    Instagram Youtube

    © 2025 The New York Journals. All Rights Reserved.

    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • Business
    • Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Trending

    Copyright © 2023 The Nyjournals

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In