Blinken Says Modern Int'l System Places Countries Either at Table or On Menu
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that the current international system leaves countries with the choice of being either at the table or on the menu, in a comment on the global impact of the US-China rivalry.
"If you are not at the table in the international system, you're gonna be on the menu," Blinken said at the annual Munich Security Conference.
Blinken also confirmed the ongoing strategic rivalry between China and the United States, adding that the US is trying to engage various countries in cooperation on a voluntary basis.
"What we don't need to do and what we're not doing is trying to somehow divide a world into rigid blocs," Blinken added.
The top US diplomat also emphasized that Washington seeks to cooperate with other countries through various associations and structures, depending on the objectives pursued.
This year, the Munich Security Conference is taking place from February 16-18. Over 450 high-profile officials are expected to attend the meeting to discuss international security issues, including heads of state, ministers, leading personalities of international and non-governmental organizations, high-ranking representatives of industry, media, academia, and civil society. The forum was founded in 1963.
