Sec State Blinken Unveils China Strategy

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is speaking at George Washington University to outline the Biden administration's official 'China strategy.' A livestream of the speech can be followed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA3NS9BZong

• The speech is introduced by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Rudd: 'The future policy of the US towards China is of fundamental consequence... to all countries of the Indo-Pacific region and the future of the global order.'
• Rudd says that China under Xi Jinping has changed, become more powerful, and now seeks to exert that power. 'Xi now seeks to change the status quo in a manner that advance his definition of China's national interests.' Rudd continues: 'The US is now responding to that challenge.'
• Rudd: 'The Russian invasion of Ukraine represents a signal challenge for all democracies around the world.'
• Blinken: 'We put diplomacy back at the center of US foreign policy.' 'We must defend and reform the rules based order.' 'We want to modernise the international order.'
• Blinken says the foundations of the international order is under threat.
• Blinken: '[Despite the war in Ukraine] We remain focused on the most serious long-term threat to the rules-based international order: China.'
• Blinken: 'We are not looking for conflict or a new cold-war. To the contrary we are determined to avoid both. We don't seek to block China from its role as a major power.'