Blinken's Efforts to Repair US-China Relations Face Criticism and Challenges

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent visit to Beijing to repair the frayed relationship between the US and China was modestly successful, with both sides agreeing to "build a floor" under the relationship. However, the two countries still have deep-seated differences, including different premises on how they view the world. Major disagreements, such as China's belief in its right to take over Taiwan and its economic ambitions to become a high-tech colossus, are probably insoluble in the foreseeable future. Blinken's request for military contacts to prevent accidental conflicts fell on deaf ears because the Chinese fear it's a trap.