A day after President Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Northern California in an effort to ease growing tensions between the two superpowers, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS News that China represents "one of the most consequential relationships" the U.S. has with any nation.
"This is one of the most consequential relationships we have," Blinken told "CBS News Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell Thursday. "One of the most consequential relationships between any two countries in the world. And we have an obligation to try to responsibly manage that relationship."
Among the most important results to come out of Wednesday's meeting near San Francisco was the two leaders agreeing that the U.S. and China would resume direct military-to-military communications.
"Yesterday, we agreed that our militaries would start talking again, at the most senior levels, and at the operational level," Blinken told CBS News. "And this is a very important way of trying to avoid a miscalculation, a mistake that could lead to a conflict."
During a recent meeting, Mr. Biden and Xi reached an agreement to collaborate on addressing the opioid crisis by working together on counternarcotics efforts. The United States has been actively trying to stop the illegal trafficking of precursor chemicals from China that are used to produce fentanyl.
Blinken emphasized the impact of fentanyl on American lives, stating that it is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 49. He clarified that fentanyl is a greater threat than car accidents, guns, or cancer.
Blinken revealed that the precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl are being sourced from China, then transformed into the drug and trafficked into the United States. The U.S. now has an agreement with China to take concrete actions against the companies involved in this practice.
A senior administration official informed CBS News that the U.S. is collaborating with China to develop a plan that targets specific companies responsible for manufacturing these precursor chemicals. The official confirmed that China has already taken action against some of the companies based on information provided by the U.S. Furthermore, China is implementing measures to restrict the supply of chemicals used in the production process.
When questioned about whether the U.S. can trust China to follow through on the crackdown, Blinken stated, "As the president said yesterday, 'trust but verify,' and that's what we're doing."
"He is indeed a dictator," Mr. Biden stated. "I mean, he's the leader of a country that operates under a communist regime."
Last month, Biden referred to his Chinese counterpart as a dictator while addressing his supporters at a private fundraising event in Northern California.
During the news conference on Wednesday, cameras captured Blinken's uneasy reaction to Mr. Biden's comments. China's foreign ministry spokesperson criticized the remarks as "incorrect" and "irresponsible."
When questioned by O'Donnell about whether Mr. Biden's statements represented the official stance of the U.S. government, Blinken replied that the president "speaks on behalf of all of us."
"Well, it's no secret that we have two distinct systems," Blinken explained. "And the president always speaks candidly, representing all of us."
Engaging with China: Pursuing Competition without Conflict
During a recent meeting, Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of diplomatic engagement with China to manage differences and find areas of cooperation. He acknowledged that both countries will continue to express opinions and take actions that the other may not like, but the goal is to ensure that the competition between the two nations does not escalate into conflict.
