U.S. President Joe Biden's national security adviser held talks with China's foreign minister in Malta over the weekend as both nations seek to ease tensions between them, DW reports.
The White House issued a statement on September 17, explaining that the meeting between U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi aimed to "maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the relationship."
The statement further noted that the diplomats engaged in "candid, substantive, and constructive discussions."
China's official statement on the Malta meeting echoed the U.S. version, emphasizing that the two sides had conducted "candid, substantive, and constructive strategic communication."
During the meeting, Wang Yi emphasized the issue of Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory but receives substantial support from the U.S. He described it as a "red line that cannot be crossed in Sino-U.S. relations." The White House statement acknowledged the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Sullivan and Wang previously met in May in Vienna for talks. Although President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have not had discussions since a summit in Bali last year, U.S. officials are working to facilitate a reconnection between the two leaders.
In the coming days, China's strategic relationship with Russia will also come into focus as Wang Yi plans to visit Russia for security talks. This visit follows a series of high-level visits and phone calls between the two nations, signifying increased cooperation, which is raising concerns in Washington.
China's foreign ministry announced that Wang will participate in the 18th round of China-Russian Strategic Security Consultations (SSCC) from September 18 to 21, at the invitation of Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia's security council. In August, China's Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited Russia and Belarus, where he advocated for closer military cooperation.
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