US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed key issues in their bilateral relations during a visit by the Chinese minister to the White House.
“Sullivan and Wang had candid, constructive and substantive discussions on key issues in the bilateral relationship between the United States and China, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and cross-strait issues, among other topics,” the report said. White House in a statement.
The note adds that Sullivan discussed US concerns about Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea.
“Sullivan discussed concerns about Beijing’s dangerous and illegal actions in the South China Sea. He stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The two sides reaffirmed their desire to maintain this strategic channel of communication. and seek high-level diplomacy measures, including working together for a meeting between President (Joe) Biden and President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November,” according to the statement that was collected by the Sputnik news agency.
Sullivan expressed his condolences over the passing of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, according to the statement.
Wang Yi is in Washington, on an unusual visit during which he also held talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Biden.
The meetings are part of an attempt to calm a tumultuous relationship between both countries and find common ground.
The talks could serve to prepare for a future visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States, possibly on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, which will be held in San Francisco in mid-November.
Yesterday, after speaking with Blinken, Wang said that his country intends to “stabilize relations” with the United States and “reduce misunderstandings” after years of tensions.
Biden and Xi have not had direct contact since they met in Bali in November 2022, on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
Relations remain tense between the world’s two largest economies, which compete to increase their influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
A crucial point of the link is the island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers its own and Washington recognizes as an independent country. The two governments also maintain dissimilar views on the Middle East.
Source: Ambito
