Blinken says he will work with China's Wang Yi to rein in Mideast tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that he will work with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from spreading when they meet later this week, Reuters reports.
Blinken called on the 15-member council to help contain the conflict, amid soaring tensions after Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7.
“Members of this council, and permanent members in particular, have a special responsibility to prevent this conflict from spreading,” Blinken said, warning Iran and its proxies in the region not to open up more fronts in the war.
“I look forward to continuing to work with my counterpart from the People’s Republic of China to do precisely that, when he visits Washington later this week,” he said.
Washington does not seek conflict with Iran, Blinken said, but warned that it would act swiftly and decisively if Tehran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere.
Wang is set to arrive in the United States on Thursday for talks with Blinken and President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, as Washington seeks to ensure the intense competition between the world’s two largest economies and their disagreements over a host of issues from trade to Taiwan and the South China Sea do not veer into conflict.
Blinken is expected to meet with Wang on Thursday afternoon. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the Chinese minister would also meet with Sullivan and Blinken on Friday. She said they would address challenging issues, including misperceptions and miscommunications, and ways they can work together.
U.S. officials are keen for Beijing to use its influence with Iran and other countries in the Middle East to help prevent the conflict there from spreading.
Analysts said that while China had expressed concern about the U.S. approach to the conflict, the two sides share a common interest in avoiding a wider regional war.
