Washington (AP) — China’s top diplomat is set to arrive in Washington on Thursday for a three-day visit, in an ongoing effort by both the U.S. and China to maintain high-level discussions despite strained bilateral relations.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Secretary of State and national security adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss various issues, including the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Ukraine war, and a recent vessel collision in the South China Sea, according to anonymous senior administration officials.
Wang’s visit comes just two weeks before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, where there is a possibility of a meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. While the officials did not confirm this meeting or if Wang’s visit is in preparation for it, they described his trip as a reciprocal visit to Blinken’s trip to Beijing in June.
Beijing has not yet confirmed whether Xi will attend the APEC summit in San Francisco.
Since 2018, U.S.-China relations have steadily deteriorated due to various issues, such as trade imbalances, human rights concerns in Xinjiang, the militarization of the South China Sea, pressures on Taiwan, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In November of last year, President Biden and President Xi met in Bali, Indonesia during the Group of 20 meeting and agreed to resume talks and expand bilateral exchanges.
However, the relationship soured again when Washington accused Beijing of flying a spy balloon over U.S. territory in February, leading to protests from China and further deterioration of relations.
Blinken’s visit to Beijing in June marked an improvement in bilateral relations. Subsequently, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer led a delegation of six senators to China, the first such visit by U.S. lawmakers since 2019. Currently, California Governor Gavin Newsom is in China to discuss climate change.
During Wang’s visit to Washington, American officials will urge China to play a more constructive role in the Middle East. Blinken previously discussed with Wang the importance of stability in the region and discouraging involvement from other parties, according to the State Department.
The recent collisions between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea will also be a topic in the discussions with Wang. The U.S. has expressed support for the Philippines and criticized China’s actions as “dangerous and unlawful.”
China, on the other hand, claims the area as its own and accuses the Philippines of violating its territorial sovereignty by marooning a naval ship there. China has vowed to take necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and maritime interests.
As the U.S. grapples with China’s rise as a global power, President Biden has called for “guardrails” to manage the bilateral relationship, but China has rejected this idea and demanded a different kind of great power relationship where the U.S. respects China’s core interests.
Although Wang’s visit will not resolve all differences, it is part of the U.S. diplomatic efforts to maintain open communication and minimize risks, according to American officials.
