UPDATE - US definitely in 'strategic competition' with China, says Blinken

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By Emre Basaran and Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US is in a "strategic competition" with China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday, emphasizing the importance of actively participating in the "multilateral system."

"If you're not at the table in the international system, you're going to be on the menu," the top US diplomat quipped during a public forum at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

"It was important for us to re-engage multilaterally, and we've done that," said Blinken, adding that Washington has "made a reinvestment in our alliances, partnerships and the multilateral system. Because it's in our interest to do it."

While noting that there is "no doubt" that the US is engaged in a "strategic competition" with China, he said, "we have an obligation to manage that relationship responsibly."

In his remarks, Blinken, who met with his Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the event in Munich, said the US has "engaged in a sustainable way with China," over the last six or seven months.

"That follows a series of meetings, most notably and most importantly, of President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping," he added.

Blinken also emphasized that the US, while competing against China in some areas, also has an interest in cooperating with Beijing.

"Yes, we have a competition, the areas where we are contesting each other, but there are also areas we should cooperate because it's in our interest to do that," he said.

"One of the best examples for that is our agreement with China on fentanyl, the number-one killer of Americans aged 18-49," Blinken added, referring to the synthetic opioid that has plagued the US in recent years.

"Now we have meaningful cooperation from and with China, that's going to make a difference in the lives of Americans."

- 'Israel has great opportunity to establish peace with Palestine'

He also reiterated support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We understand and support Israel's efforts to prevent a recurrence of what happened on Oct. 7," he said.

Highlighting his efforts in the past four months to ensure access to aid for those in need in the Gaza Strip, Blinken emphasized significant contributions of his initiatives to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

He stressed the increasing need for the establishment of a Palestinian state and reiterated that Israel has a great opportunity to establish peace with Palestine.

Acknowledging the serious efforts of Arab countries to better represent the interests of Palestinians and become a better partner to Israel, Blinken suggested that when all the efforts are combined, there will be a region where people work together for a "common benefit" and where proxy groups supported by Iran are "isolated."