U.S., China pledge to maintain communications as two top officials meet
U.S. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 12, 2022. (REUTERS/File Photo)
WASHINGTON – The Biden administration’s top security adviser met with China’s top diplomat this week and pledged to keep lines of communication open, the White House said on Thursday, as Washington and Beijing seek a path forward amid strained relations.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met in Vienna on Wednesday and Thursday, and discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine, among other issues, the White House said in a statement.
“The two sides had candid, substantive, and constructive discussions on key issues in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, global and regional security issues, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and cross-Strait issues, among other topics,” it said, calling the meeting “part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage competition.”
“The two sides agreed to maintain this important strategic channel of communication to advance these objectives,” the White House said, adding that the talks sought to build on U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting in Indonesia in November.
