Calling China Aggressive Abroad, US Secretary Of State Antony Blinken: We Do Not Limit China

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (State Department / Ron Przysucha)

JAKARTA - The Secretary of State of the United States of America said that China has recently become more aggressive abroad, and has become increasingly hostile.

Asked the CBS News '60 Minutes' interview whether Washington was heading toward a military confrontation with Beijing, Blinken said, "It is totally against the interests of both China and the United States to, get to that point, or even get that direction, ".

"What we have witnessed over the past few years is China acting more repressively at home and more aggressively abroad. That is a fact," he said as quoted by Reuters, Monday 3 May.

Regarding the reported theft of hundreds of billions of dollars or more in United States trade secrets and intellectual property by China, Blinken said President Joe Biden's Administration had "real concerns" about IP issues.

"It sounds like the actions of someone trying to compete unfairly and becoming increasingly hostile. But we are much more effective and stronger when we bring like-minded and equally aggrieved countries to say to Beijing: It can't stand and it can't. stand up, "said the senior diplomat.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond on Sunday to a request for comment on Blinken's interview.

Earlier, on Friday, President Joe Biden's Administration said China had failed to fulfill its commitment to protect American intellectual property in the US-China 'Phase 1' trade deal signed last year.

The commitments are part of a broad deal between former President Donald Trump's administration and Beijing, which includes regulatory changes on agricultural biotechnology and a commitment to buy about $ 200 billion of Uncle Sam's exports over two years.

In the interview Blinken also said that the United States is not aiming to limit China, but to enforce a rules-based order, which is being challenged by China.

"Whoever poses a challenge to that order, we will stand on these rules and defend them," said Blinken, who said he always spoke with President Joe Biden.

In his inaugural address to Congress Wednesday last week, President Joe Biden identified rivalry with China as his administration's biggest foreign policy challenge. He pledged to maintain a strong United States military presence in the Indo-Pacific and to enhance the technological development of the United States.

Last month, Antony Blinken said the United States was concerned about China's aggressive actions against Taiwan. He warned that anyone trying to forcefully change the status quo in the Western Pacific would be a serious mistake.

"The United States has a long-term commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act, to ensure Taiwan becomes an independent government with the ability to defend itself and maintain peace and security in the western Pacific," Blinken said.

To note, Taiwan has complained about various activities carried out by the Chinese Air Force and Navy, in airspace and waters near their territory over the last few months.