US Sullivan and China Wang Yi Meet After 4 Months... Will Bilateral Summit Follow? (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jake Sullivan, the United States' top national security advisor, and Wang Yi, member of the Communist Party Central Political Bureau and director of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Office, held a sudden meeting. Expectations have grown stronger that U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a face-to-face summit at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting this November.

Jake Sullivan National Security Advisor
Photo by AP Yonhap News

The White House announced on the 17th (local time) that "Advisor Sullivan and Director Wang met in Malta for a two-day schedule starting the day before," describing it as "part of ongoing efforts to keep communication channels open with China and responsibly manage U.S.-China relations." This meeting came about four months after their previous high-level dialogue in Vienna, Austria, in May, which marked the resumption of senior-level talks between the two countries.

During the meeting, both sides discussed major bilateral issues, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, cross-strait matters, and other global and regional security concerns. The White House stated that based on the dialogue between President Biden and President Xi at the November 2022 Bali summit, "they engaged in frank, substantive, and constructive discussions" and "committed to pursuing further high-level engagements and consultations in key areas." Additionally, regarding the Taiwan issue, they "emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," the statement added.

The king is a member of the Communist Party Central Politburo and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also confirmed the meeting in a statement released the same day, saying, "The two countries conducted frank, substantive, and constructive strategic communication on stabilizing and improving China-U.S. relations." The ministry explained, "They agreed to continue implementing the common understandings reached by the two leaders at the Indonesia Bali summit last November and to maintain high-level exchanges." At the meeting, Director Wang reiterated China's longstanding position that "the Taiwan issue is the first red line that China-U.S. relations cannot cross," the ministry emphasized.

This meeting attracted attention especially as it took place amid speculation that President Biden and President Xi might hold a summit at the APEC meeting in San Francisco this November. The U.S. National Security Advisor and the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Foreign Affairs Office are the highest-level diplomatic and security aides to their respective leaders. Considering the significance and roles of this top-level dialogue channel, local observers believe that the two met in advance to facilitate the November summit.

President Joe Biden of the United States
[Photo by AP News]

The first virtual summit between President Biden and President Xi was also held following a secret meeting in October 2021 in Zurich, Switzerland, between Advisor Sullivan and Wang Yi's predecessor, Yang Jiechi. Earlier this year, amid heightened tensions such as the Chinese surveillance balloon incident, Sullivan and Wang met in May, after which the high-level dialogue channel between the two countries was restored. Recently, senior U.S. officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo have consecutively visited Beijing.

It is also analyzed that the two leaders feel the need to stabilize bilateral relations through a summit. For President Biden, who is preparing for a re-election bid next year, escalating conflicts with China amid the prolonged Russian invasion of Ukraine could pose significant political challenges. President Xi, meanwhile, is currently focusing on domestic affairs due to economic sluggishness in China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping Photo by Reuters

If the U.S.-China summit takes place this November, it will be their first face-to-face meeting in about a year. Following their virtual summit in November 2021, President Biden and President Xi held their first in-person meeting at the G20 summit in Bali last November.

While many world leaders, including President Biden, will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, President Xi will not participate. Wang Yi, who was expected to attend in Xi's place, will instead visit Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rather than attend the UN General Assembly. However, Wang is expected to visit the United States soon in a reciprocal visit following Secretary Blinken's trip to China in June. Discussions aimed at facilitating the U.S.-China summit are also anticipated during that visit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.