In a significant step toward improving bilateral relations, United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday. The two leaders agreed to enhance communication and cooperation in areas such as drug control, law enforcement, migration, and climate change.
Sullivan’s visit, which began on Tuesday and will last for three days, marks his fifth face-to-face meeting with Wang Yi. During their discussions, both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining robust communication channels and implementing the key agreements made during the San Francisco meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping in November 2023.
Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, shared details of the meeting on social media, noting that the two countries agreed to continue high-level exchanges and cooperation in critical areas, including the repatriation of illegal immigrants and climate change mitigation. They also plan to hold a video call between military leaders and the second round of China-US intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence at an appropriate time.
Sullivan’s visit is noteworthy as he is the first US National Security Advisor to visit China in eight years, following Susan Rice’s trip in 2016 during President Barack Obama’s administration. The visit comes ahead of the upcoming US presidential elections in November and is seen as a crucial moment for managing competition and tensions between the two global powers.
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby highlighted the significance of Sullivan’s meetings, noting that the direct channel between the National Security Advisor and the Chinese Director has played an essential role in responsibly managing the relationship between the two countries.
