U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to engage in a phone call this spring, as part of ongoing efforts to manage competition between the two nations. Additionally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to make another trip to Beijing later this year, furthering high-level diplomacy between the United States and China. These developments come after U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded their talks in Bangkok, Thailand, which lasted over 12 hours across two days. The discussions were described as candid and constructive, covering global and regional issues such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, North Korea, the South China Sea, and Burma.
During their talks, Sullivan urged Wang to use China’s influence to help put an end to the attacks on Red Sea trade routes by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. However, U.S. officials expressed reservations about whether China is actively addressing this issue, as the attacks continue despite requests from the United States. In response, the U.S. Central Command recently destroyed an anti-ship missile in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, which posed a threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea. The United States and its allies have previously imposed sanctions and carried out military strikes against the Houthis.
In another area of cooperation, the U.S. and China will hold a formal working group on counternarcotics in Beijing at the end of January. This collaboration aims to combat the flow of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, which originate mainly from China and contribute to the fentanyl crisis in the United States. American officials have noted a reduction in the amount of precursor chemicals originating from China at certain U.S. airports.
The discussions in Bangkok also touched on the situation in Myanmar, where a military coup took place in February 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government. The U.S. official acknowledged China’s influence in the region and expressed the hope for future discussions to promote a return to democratic transition in Myanmar.
Looking ahead, the U.S. and China are preparing for various dialogues, including talks on artificial intelligence in the spring, counternarcotics working group discussions next week, and Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meetings in the coming months. Sullivan and Wang have been engaging in talks approximately every four months since May 2023, with previous meetings held in Vienna, Malta, and Washington. These ongoing efforts reflect the commitment of both nations to manage competition and tensions responsibly, utilizing diplomacy and strategic communication channels.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are planning to have a phone call in the spring, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make another trip to Beijing this year. The talks between U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok were described as constructive and covered various global issues. The U.S. urged China to use its influence to stop attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The two countries will also hold counternarcotics talks and discuss artificial intelligence. Additionally, Sullivan and Wang have been engaging in regular talks since May 2023.
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