- Top United States and Chinese officials meet to talk about global security tensions
- Jake Sullivan met with Wang Yi in Vienna for "candid" and "constructive" talks
- It is seen as among the highest-level engagements between Washington and Beijing since last year's spy balloon incident
United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese official Wang Yi in Vienna for what the White House called "candid" and "constructive" talks regarding global security concerns.
The meeting between the two officials was previously undisclosed and is seen as among the highest-level engagements between Washington and Beijing since the spy balloon incident earlier this year. That particular event caused Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone his planned Beijing trip.
China, US Officials Talk Regarding Global Security
In a statement, the White House said that the meeting between Sullivan and Wang was part of ongoing efforts to maintain communication with China. CNN added that the two officials would discuss key issues such as bilateral relationships, global and regional security issues, the Russia-Ukraine war, and cross-Strait issues.
One US senior administration official noted that the meeting between Sullivan and Wang was made to restore communications between the two countries. They said the two nations recognized a pause in engagement following the spy balloon incident.
The official added that Washington clarified where the US stands regarding the breach of sovereignty. He said that the question now is how to manage other issues and the tension in the current relationship.
They added that Chinese officials also saw the importance of engaging with the United States government to manage relations. The official said both sides should try to take advantage of the situation as best they can.
The White House said that the US and China have agreed to continue the "strategic communication channel." It added that they plan to build on the meeting between United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held in Bali, Indonesia, last year, according to CNBC.
High-Level Engagements
Previously, Sullivan reiterated that the US has deep concerns about China's continued alignment with Russia. He also warned that the world's second-largest economy could assist Moscow in avoiding global sanctions.
The United States government and its allies have imposed strict sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine last year. The series of sanctions caused Moscow to be the most-sanctioned global power ahead of Iran and North Korea.
The meeting between Sullivan and Wang comes as top American officials said that the Biden administration is trying to pursue competition with China but is trying to avoid veering into conflict. On the other hand, Beijing said that it desires to stabilize its rocky relations with Washington.
Earlier this week, another pair of US-China officials met, namely US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and China's second-highest diplomat Qin Gang. On the other hand, Blinken said that he was trying to reschedule his trip to Beijing to talk with Chinese officials, said Aljazeera.
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