Blinken back in China seeking pressure but also stability

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China to manage tensions, address trade practices, and stabilize ties.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned on April 24 to China on his second visit in a year, as the United States ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing.

The U.S. diplomat will meet China's top brass on Friday in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates a new leader, and to raise U.S. concerns on Chinese trade practices — a vital issue for President Joe Biden in an election year.

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But Mr. Blinken is also seeking to stabilise ties, with tensions between the world's two largest economies palpably easing since his last visit in June.

At the time, he was the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit China in five years, and the trip was followed by a meeting between the countries' presidents in November.

At that summit in California, Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a U.S. wish list including restoring contact between militaries and cracking down on precursor chemicals to fentanyl, the powerful painkiller behind an addiction epidemic in the United States.

Mr. Blinken arrived in Shanghai, where he will kick off his visit by attending a Chinese basketball play-off match between two teams with American players on their rosters.