In the run-up to summits with the United States, China has made it clear that it will not make concessions on crucial issues. China’s State Department asked the Americans to engage in a “sincere and constructive manner”.
Ministers from the US and China will sit around the table in Alaska on Thursday.
This is the first summit meeting between the superpowers since the inauguration of the new American president Joe Biden. His government has also made it clear that it will not avoid confrontation with China.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Antony Blinken will join the conversation. In recent days, he has travelled through Asia, where he has strongly criticized China.
The minister accused Beijing of systematically undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and violating human rights in Tibet and Xinjiang. In Xinjiang, critics say the Uyghur minority is being oppressed.
Blinken has previously made it clear that he wants to use the meeting in Alaska to share his concerns in “clear terms” with his Chinese colleagues.
A spokesman for the Chinese ministry said on Thursday that the Americans do not have to count on promises about sensitive points. “China has no room to compromise on issues related to its sovereignty, security and core interests.”