The U.S. and China are actively “working together towards” a high-level diplomatic meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, set to occur at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, summit in San Francisco.
What Happened: On Friday, the White House affirmed both sides’ commitment to maintaining open communication channels and fostering additional high-level diplomacy.
This development emerged following meetings between White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, which took place during the latter’s visit to the U.S., reported South China Morning Post.
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In response to these diplomatic efforts, a senior Biden administration official stated, “I think we are making preparations for just such a meeting.”
Notably, China’s removal of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu has raised optimism for the resumption of military talks, which had been largely frozen since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022.
Meanwhile, Wang met with Biden, Sullivan, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his visit to the U.S. capital.
In over six hours of “candid and in-depth” talks with the U.S. Secretary of State, the Chinese minister also discussed the Middle East conflict, Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and North Korea’s provocations.
On the other hand, Blinken reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to the one-China policy with regard to Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the self-governed strait.
Why It’s Important: While both sides have yet to confirm President Xi’s attendance at the APEC summit officially, expectations are high that this meeting could be the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since their previous meeting in Bali approximately a year ago.
Previously, it was reported that despite ongoing differences, the Chinese President said that the country is willing to cooperate with the U.S. He also highlighted that establishing the “right” way for both parties to co-exist is crucial for the world.
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