The move comes at a time when tensions have risen between countries over President Biden’s administration’s demand that Beijing end military pressure against Taiwan.
Amid high tension in bilateral ties over Beijing’s actions on issues such as trade, a senior White House official said the US and China have agreed in principle that President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will hold a virtual summit before the end of the year. Will hold a conference , Human Rights, South China Sea and Taiwan.
The announcement by the White House came after a nearly six-hour meeting in Zurich between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Wednesday.
The move comes at a time when tensions have risen between countries over President Biden’s administration’s demand that Beijing end military pressure against Taiwan and live up to its trade commitments.
Over the past several days, China has sent nearly 150 warplanes to Taiwan’s air defenses, prompting a warning from the President Biden administration against Beijing’s coercive actions against the self-ruled island.
During the meeting, Mr. Sullivan raised areas where the United States and China are interested in working together to address important international challenges, and ways to manage “risks” in the relationship, the White House called. said in a readout of
Mr. Sullivan raised several areas where the US has concerns with Chinese actions, including those related to human rights, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea and Taiwan.
The meeting between Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Yang, a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, took place on a September 9 phone call between President Biden and President Xi in which the leaders discussed the importance of maintaining open lines. of communication to responsibly manage the competition between the two countries.
The decision on the virtual summit was taken considering that the two leaders are unlikely to be present at the same time for the rest of the year.
“I think you all must have seen reports that Xi Jinping does not have plans to visit the G20 and so in today’s conversation we discussed what can be waiting for new leaders, and more genuine engagement to happen. Because of which we do not. Hope to be at the same place in near future,” said a senior administration official.
“Therefore, we have an agreement in principle to hold a virtual bilateral meeting between the leaders before the end of the year,” the official said, noting that the details of the meetings are still being worked out.
“Sullivan clarified that while we continue to invest in our national strengths and work closely with our allies and partners, we will continue to engage with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at a senior level to ensure responsible competition.” Will keep.” The White House readout said.
Discussion on US-China relations and international and regional issues of common concern.
According to the senior administration official, the conversation between Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Yang was clear, direct and comprehensive.
Mr. Sullivan also raised areas where the US has concerns about China’s behavior, the official said, listing human rights; Xinjiang province, where Beijing is engaged in a campaign against ethnic Uighurs, which administration officials have described amounted to genocide.
They also discussed rising tensions in the South China Sea, where China is expanding its territorial ambitions in the disputed waters.
Mr Sullivan also discussed the situation in Hong Kong, a former British colony where Beijing has violated agreements with the region for dissent and crushing democracy.
US Trade Representative Catherine Tai said this week that she would seek new talks with China if it failed to fulfill promises made in the first part of the trade deal with former President Donald Trump.
Since 2017, the US and China have charged billions of dollars on each other’s goods after Washington accused Beijing of blocking access to its markets and stealing American intellectual property.
The official said Mr Sullivan was also “quite candid” about Taiwan. “The National Security Advisor clearly expressed our concerns about Beijing’s recent provocative activities and our concerns about continued pressure and coercion by Beijing in the Strait,” the official said.
The official said Mr Sullivan made clear that the US “will continue to support Taiwan’s self-defense and we will oppose any unilateral action to change the status quo.”
Taiwan is a self-governing island of about 24 million people off the Chinese coast that Beijing considers part of its territory.
Taiwan said this week that about 150 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defense detection zone over a four-day period beginning Friday.
Mr Sullivan also raised areas where the Biden administration believes US and Chinese interests align and can work together – such as climate change.
The two sides clearly exchanged comprehensive and in-depth views on China-US relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.
China’s official Xinhua news agency said the meeting was described as constructive and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding.
“When China and the United States cooperate, both countries and the world will benefit; when China and the United States are in confrontation, both countries and the world will be seriously harmed,” said Mr. Yang, director of the office There are also the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee said.
“The United States needs a deeper understanding of the mutually beneficial nature of Sino-US relations, and a more accurate understanding of China’s domestic and foreign policies and strategic intentions,” Yang said. He said China opposes defining bilateral ties as “competitive”.
Mr. Yang said Beijing hopes that the United States can adopt a rational and pragmatic China policy, and cooperate with China on the path of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and cooperation with respect to each other’s core interests and core concerns. can follow.
The Xinhua report did not mention about the planned virtual meeting between President Xi and President Biden as indicated by the White House.
Mr. Sullivan’s meetings on Wednesday appear to be a stark contrast to the last time he and Mr. Yang sat in Alaska in March, when a top Chinese diplomat lectured him and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ABC News, remarked.
A brief photo op turned into a contentious and unusually public brawl between the two sides, setting the tone for continued tension in the relationship, it said at the last meeting on March 19, the first high-level meeting since President Biden held He took office in January.
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