Here's a look at what U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top diplomats have been doing this week:
US-South America
Promoting democracy and managing migration are the focus of Blinken’s first trip to Ecuador and Colombia from October 19 to 21 as top U.S. diplomat. During a speech Wednesday in Quito, Blinken outlined challenges facing democracies in the Western Hemisphere but said he was optimistic they could be overcome.
SEE ALSO: Blinken Accents Democracy, Migration in Visits to Ecuador, ColombiaVenezuela also looms large as the U.S. calls for political talks to resume between the Venezuelan government and the country's opposition. U.S. officials this week discussed ways to tackle irregular migration, as Colombia hosts nearly 2 million Venezuelan migrants, and Ecuador also hosts a large number of migrants from Venezuela.
SEE ALSO: Venezuela Looms Large as Blinken Heads to Ecuador, ColombiaChina also came up during Blinken’s South American trip. Ecuadorian officials described Beijing as “a commercial partner,” with Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso saying he wanted to secure a trade deal with China. Blinken told his Ecuadorian counterpart the U.S. was not asking countries to choose between Washington and Beijing, but he warned of risks of doing business with Chinese companies, saying “there really is no division between purportedly private enterprises and the state.”
"We%27re not asking countries to choose b/t the US and #China," nor r we seeking to contain China or hold it back, said @SecBlinken responding to questions from @Simondlewis."What we do seek to do is to uphold the highest possible standards as we%27re engaged in around the world." pic.twitter.com/ENW2Wd4b7I
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 19, 2021
@SecBlinken warns nations to take precautions as they%27re looking at investment."Unfortunately in the case of #China, there really is no division b/t purportedly private enterprises & the state....if those enterprises are asked to do the bidding for the state, they have to do it."
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 19, 2021
US ‘One China’ Policy
Nicholas Burns, President Joe Biden's nominee to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, took a tough line on dealings with China during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. Burns said the U.S. was right to continue its “one-China policy” but that Washington was also right to oppose China’s unilateral actions that undermine the status quo and undermine the stability of the region. Noticeably, Burns used the wordings of Washington's so-called one-China “policy,” which is different from Beijing's one-China "principle.” The U.S. has "acknowledged" but has never endorsed the Chinese Communist Party's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.
Noticeably, @RNicholasBurns used the wordings of Washington%27s one-#China "policy" (政策.) This is different from Beijing%27s one-China "principle"(原则.) The U.S. "acknowledged" but has never endorsed the Chinese Communist Party%27s claim of sovereignty over #Taiwan. @VOANews https://t.co/P6DJ771TWh
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 20, 2021
Colin Powell’s legacy
Colin Powell, the first Black U.S. secretary of state and a top military officer, died Monday at age 84 from complications due to COVID-19 while battling multiple myeloma.
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He is being remembered by America's foreign service work force, who say Powell was devoted to ensuring the State Department was properly resourced, consulted and respected.
Few Secretaries have devoted as much time & energy to ensuring that the professional career Foreign Service was properly staffed, resourced, consulted, & respected. For that, Sec. Powell will always be remembered with great affection and appreciation, said @afsatweets @VOANews
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
"He told the staff that they didn%27t need to worry about getting fancy lunches, hamburgers and hotdogs were just fine. When he hopped on to the elevator, he pulled others on with him. He didn%27t bother with formalities," said @SecBlinken on Powell. @VOANews
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
Powell, who shaped lasting U.S. policies toward Africa, also is being remembered on the continent for peacemaking, supporting the fight against AIDS and sounding the alarm against war abuses.
SEE ALSO: Colin Powell Shaped Lasting US Policies Toward AfricaUS-Haiti
Haitian protesters took to the streets this week to demand the release of 17 missionaries — 16 Americans and 1 Canadian — kidnapped on October 16 by the 400 Mawozo gang. An interagency team dispatched by the U.S. government is working closely with Haitian authorities to try to recover the missionaries. The State Department has raised its travel advisory for Haiti to Level 4: Do Not Travel.
SEE ALSO: Haitian Protesters Demand Kidnappers Release MissionariesOn #Haiti,@SecBlinken said the US will do everything to help resolve the situation after the kidnappings of missionaries. "Unfortunately, this is also indicative of a much larger problem. And that is a security situation, that is, quite simply unsustainable." @VOANews
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 19, 2021
@StateDeptSpox said the U.S. Embassy team in #Haiti has been in constant contact with the Haitian national police, w/ the missionary group, w/ family members of the victims, and w/ the Canadian gov%27t. There%27s also an interagency cooperation in the ongoing investigation. @VOANews pic.twitter.com/9Jef5Rhty1
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
Top US envoy to afghanistan steps down
The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, stepped down from his post this week, less than two months after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Blinken announced Khalilzad's departure in a statement Monday, saying the envoy would be replaced by his deputy, Thomas West. Talk of Khalilzad’s resignation had emerged since August after the Afghan Security Forces collapsed and the Taliban rapidly took control over the war-torn country.
SEE ALSO: Top US Envoy to Afghanistan Steps Down美国阿富汗和平特使哈利勒扎德下台,塔利班正面回应。为什么?一些圈内人认为他是让塔利班得以坐大的原因之一。从今年8月阿富汗安全部队溃散不成军、文人政府出人意料之外垮台以来,就不断传出哈利勒扎德将下台的消息。这个星期一,定了案。 https://t.co/lbnVQuVbzx
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 19, 2021
Tigray violence
The U.S. remains gravely concerned by escalating violence in Tigray.
Forces in Ethiopia's Tigray region said Monday that the Ethiopian government had launched airstrikes on the regional capital, Mekelle. The United States also was looking into the reported attack, with State Department spokesperson Ned Price saying the U.S. remained “gravely concerned by what has been escalating violence in Tigray for some time.”
SEE ALSO: Tigray Forces Say Ethiopian Airstrikes Hit Regional CapitalOn reported bombing in #Tigray , @StateDeptSpox said "we%27ve seen these reports of an attack. We are in the process of looking into them. We, broadly speaking, do remain gravely concerned by what has been escalating violence" in Tigray for some time. @VOANews pic.twitter.com/36u2mFMEqZ
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
China missile test
Top U.S. officials said Washington was paying close attention to China’s efforts to build up its military arsenal, amid reports Beijing took a major step forward two months ago by testing a hypersonic missile. Monday, the State Department said the U.S. was “deeply concerned” about the rapid expansion of China's nuclear capabilities, which is deviating from Beijing’s decades-long nuclear strategy based on minimum deterrence.
SEE ALSO: US Watching China Closely After Reports of Hypersonic Missile TestOn People%27s Republic of #China, @StateDeptSpox said the US is "deeply concerned about the rapid expansion of the PRC%27s nuclear capabilities," adding these developments underscore that China is deviating from its decades long nuclear strategy based on minimum deterrence. @VOANews pic.twitter.com/pTBRlHb4UZ
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
As of the end of September of 2021, #China has launched at least 250 ballistic missiles this year, said @StateDeptSpox. "All of this is especially concerning, given the PRC%27s lack of transparency into its evolving nuclear posture." @VOANews
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
The State Department spokesperson also said China%27s nuclear build-up reinforces the importance of pursuing practical measures with the Beijing government to reduce nuclear risks. The US has reached out to China on this matter.
— VOA Nike Ching 张蓉湘 (@rongxiang) October 18, 2021
Iran nuclear deal
Efforts to get Tehran to return to the terms of the Iran nuclear deal are in danger of falling short, forcing the United States and its allies to consider nondiplomatic options to contain the threat, according to top U.S. officials.
SEE ALSO: Hopes Dim for Iran's Return to Nuclear DealJerusalem consulate
The United States will move ahead with its plan to reopen the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem as Washington restores ties with the Palestinians and commits to a two-state solution. "As I said in May, we'll be moving forward with the process of opening a consulate as part of deepening those ties with the Palestinians," Blinken said during a Wednesday press conference. But he stopped short of providing a timeline.
SEE ALSO: US to Move on Plans to Reopen Consulate in Jerusalem