US State Department official visits China amid tensions

US Assistant Secretary of State Kritenbrink arrives in Beijing in an effort to strengthen communication with China.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will arrive in Beijing on June 4 and will discuss "key issues in the bilateral relationship" in meetings next week, according to a statement from the US State Department.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink speaks in Washington in 2021. Photo: AFP

He was also accompanied by Sarah Beran, director for China and Taiwan affairs at the White House National Security Council.

Relations between the world's two largest economies are strained over a series of disputes, from the Taiwan issue to the South China Sea and the balloon incident in February.

Mr. Kritenbrink’s trip follows a visit to China last month by CIA Director William Burns, who “stressed the importance of maintaining open intelligence channels” when meeting with his Chinese counterparts, according to a US official familiar with the matter.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on June 3, complained about China's refusal to hold military dialogues.

According to him, Beijing's unwillingness to dialogue has undermined efforts to maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

US Secretary of State Blinken has postponed a planned February trip to China after a Chinese spy balloon allegedly flew into the country's airspace over sensitive military bases, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

However, the White House said it was working to arrange for Secretary of State Blinken, as well as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to travel to China.

Vu Hoang (According to Reuters )

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