On April 24th to 26th, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China. During his stay in Shanghai, Blinken was accommodated at the Peace Hotel. Not far from the hotel, the Chinese military displayed two warships, which was interpreted as a “warning” to the US. However, experts believe that these continuous actions by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) demonstrate their insecurity.
Secretary of State Blinken’s official plane arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Wednesday, kicking off his second visit to China during his tenure.
According to mainland media reports, only Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office Director Kong Fu’an was sent by the Chinese side to greet Blinken upon his arrival, a lower-level reception compared to the visit in June last year. The hotel where Blinken stayed this time was the Peace Hotel in Shanghai.
Despite the official cold reception, the public seemed to show a positive attitude towards Blinken’s visit to China.
Videos circulating on social media showed that on the evening of the 24th, the national flags of both China and the United States were already set up at the entrance of the Peace Hotel. Blinken’s convoy drove into the hotel, where a large number of people were waiting for the arrival of the US Secretary of State.
Netizen “Spring Breeze and Autumn Rain” said: Blinken is still popular among the people; netizen “Your good is sunshine” said: I sincerely welcome Mr. Blinken’s visit to China; netizen “Chasing Dust in the Wind” said: He is the one we really need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with; netizen “I have this intention” said: Most Chinese people welcome it; netizen “Zixia Boutique Clothing” said: How much the Chinese nation needs the arrival of civilization.
Another netizen “Shadow of the Veil” said: The backing of justice, a civilized person, I applaud you. Only by standing with such a country can our country prosper, be strong, and develop.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the CCP has been covertly supporting Russia, leading to dissatisfaction among mainland Chinese. One of Blinken’s agendas during his visit to China is to attempt to change the CCP’s position of supporting Russia.
In the days leading up to Blinken’s visit, the Chinese Navy celebrated its 75th anniversary, and a military base in the Eastern Theater Command specifically arranged for a naval open day event on the Bund in Shanghai. The two warships on display were the missile destroyer “Zibo” and the “Peace Ark” naval hospital ship.
Considering the location of Blinken’s room, he could conveniently see the “Zibo” warship from his window. This was seen as a subtle warning to the US, signaling not to challenge China’s bottom line easily.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun commented on X platform on April 24th: “Blinken’s first stop still couldn’t reach Beijing. The plane could only land in Shanghai, without the red carpet, and no high-ranking officials to greet, which has been the standard reception for US officials in recent years, just to disgust American politicians.”
Cheng Qinmo, Associate Professor of the Department of Diplomacy and International Relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan, stated to the Epoch Times on April 25th that the disparity in China’s reception for Blinken is obviously inappropriate. He believes that this demonstrates the CCP’s insecurity, trying to take advantage through these small gestures for domestic propaganda.
“This time, the CCP is aware of the situation. They feel Blinken is coming with strong momentum, especially after he publicly revealed evidence of CCP’s assistance to Russia during the NATO and G7 Foreign Ministers’ meetings. It is clear that Blinken is coming to give an ultimatum. So the CCP can only take advantage through these small actions, creating an image of superiority to the public, using this method to deceive the young nationalists or the Chinese people. The CCP often uses these tricks,” Cheng Qinmo said.