Blinken, new Chinese foreign minister voice hope for improved relations

Jan. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qin Gang, China's newly appointed foreign minister, have each expressed hopes for improved relations between the superpowers.

Qin was appointed to the role as China's foreign minister on Friday after serving as a ambassador to the United States since July. During that time he worked closely with Blinken to navigate the complicated relationship between the two countries.

As Qin departed his diplomatic post to take up his new role in Beijing, he revealed in a tweet he and Blinken shared an upbeat New Year's Day phone call.

"I appreciate several candid, in-depth and constructive meetings with him during my tenure. I look forward to continuing close working relations with him for a better China-US relationship," he wrote.

Blinken, meanwhile, also confirmed the two had a cordial call and similarly expressed hopes that they could continue their efforts to improve relations in Qin's new post as Chinese foreign minister.

"Spoke by phone this morning with incoming People's Republic of China Foreign Minister Qin Gang as he departs Washington for his new role," the top U.S. diplomat wrote. "We discussed U.S.-PRC relationship and maintaining open lines of communication."

Analysts said Qin's appointment to the role of foreign minister may be an encouraging sign for Chinese-U.S. relations. He has long been one of President Xi Jinping's closest aides and has shown signs of disapproval toward Russia's war with Ukraine and the possibility of conflict with Taiwan.

He replaces Wang Yi, who is expected to be appointed to another role in the Chinese Communist Party.

The ties between Washington and Beijing have been strained during Qin's time as ambassador with the United States seeking to strengthen its ties with South Korea and Japan and showing support for Taiwan.

In particular, Washington has put a squeeze on China's semiconductor industry by limiting its exports. China is the largest manufacturer of semiconductors in the world.

Meanwhile, China has been openly engaged with U.S. adversaries such as North Korea and Russia, even as the latter's war with Ukraine has dragged on.

China held provocative combat exercises off the coast along the Taiwan Strait during House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August.