U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan engaged in a meeting with a senior Chinese defense official on Thursday morning in an effort to enhance communication between the two countries and prevent potential conflicts regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea. The meeting followed an announcement from the White House about an upcoming phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden.
Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia, acknowledged the significance of military security and the relationship between the two nations, stating that Sullivan’s request for a meeting highlighted this importance at the commencement of the discussion.
Sullivan highlighted the rarity of such exchanges and emphasized the importance of responsibly managing the relationship between the United States and China. The meeting took place on the final day of Sullivan’s three-day visit to China, aiming to maintain open high-level communication channels and stabilize bilateral relations to prevent potential conflicts.
Over the past one and a half days, Sullivan held crucial discussions with Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister and the top foreign policy official of the ruling Communist Party. The White House revealed plans to continue keeping communication channels open, including scheduling a “leader-level call” in the near future, but did not specify whether a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders would occur before Biden’s term concludes.