Blinken reiterates importance of cross-strait peace in meeting with Xi

Washington, April 26 (CNA) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait when he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing this week, a U.S. official said on Friday.

According to U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken traveled to China from April 24-26 to hold constructive discussions on key priorities in the bilateral relationship and on a range of regional and global matters.

During the meeting, the secretary of state reiterated that there has been no change to the U.S. one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances, Miller said.

Blinken also expressed concerns over China's destabilizing actions at Second Thomas Shoal, and the importance of upholding the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Miller said.

Blinken told Xi that the U.S. will continue to take necessary actions to defend its interests and values, and those of its allies and partners, Miller said.

According to the spokesperson, both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication at all times and agreed to continue high-level diplomacy and interactions in the U.S. and China in the period ahead.