US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi met.
(Photo: imago images/Björn Trotsky)
Washington According to the White House, the USA and China want to hold further talks at the “highest level” in the coming months. Both sides committed to this at a meeting between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi in Malta, the US government announced on Sunday.
When asked, the US government did not provide any information in a briefing about whether there could be a meeting between US President Joe Biden and China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Summit (APEC) in San Francisco in November .
“This meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open communications and manage relations responsibly,” the White House said. The discussions were “open, substantive and constructive”. They discussed “key issues in bilateral relations between the USA and China”, global and regional security issues and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The US has also highlighted the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and expressed concern about increased Chinese military activity in the region. The representatives of China and the USA spent around twelve hours together in Malta over the course of two days, said a US government representative.
Biden has repeatedly indicated in recent weeks that there could be a conversation between him and Xi this year. The two last met last year on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia. At the recent G20 summit in India, a possible meeting between Xi and Biden was canceled because Xi did not travel to New Delhi.
China is sending Vice President Han Zheng to the UN general debate next week. He has a more ceremonial role.
Relations between the US and China have been at a low point for some time – despite recent visits by high-ranking US officials to China. China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and threats against Taiwan are causing controversy. Most recently, Biden announced that he would restrict certain US investments in future areas such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence in China.
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