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US’ National Day message to China has notable difference from last year’s
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulates the country in wording subtly different from that used by predecessor Mike Pompeo
- It is a tradition for the US to send the greeting to China, but it could represent another show of goodwill in a week of conciliatory gestures
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Laura Zhouin Beijing
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has sent China a congratulatory message on its National Day, in the latest sign of the two powers trying to ease tensions.
“On behalf of the United States of America, I would like to extend our congratulations to the people of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] as the country celebrates its National Day on October 1,” he said in the statement.
“As the United States seeks to work cooperatively to solve the challenges we all face, we wish the people of the PRC peace, happiness and prosperity over the coming year.”
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The message could be the latest sign from Washington that it seeks to ease tensions with China, described by US President Joe Biden as “the most serious competitor”. It is a tradition for the US secretary of state to send a statement on National Day – marking the founding of the People’s Republic of China – but Blinken’s message marked another extension of goodwill from the US side.
In the message last October, then US secretary of state Mike Pompeo notably dropped “PRC” and said the congratulations were to “the people of China”.
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