On September 17, a US official said that over the weekend, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had discussed the matter with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malta.
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| A meeting between US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malta. (Source: White House) |
This meeting is the latest in a series of high-level contacts between officials from both countries, potentially paving the way for a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year. Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi last met in May.
Meanwhile, with his visit in June, Antony Blinken became the first US Secretary of State to visit China in five years. Shortly after these visits, three other high-ranking US officials also traveled to Beijing for meetings. However, Chinese officials have yet to travel to Washington for further discussions.
Recently , President Biden expressed disappointment that President Xi Jinping did not attend the G20 summit in India.
However, he emphasized that "a meeting with Xi Jinping will be necessary." The two leaders are expected to have the opportunity to discuss the matter at the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco this November.
A week ago, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to host his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi between now and the end of 2023, regardless of whether Wang Yi attended the United Nations General Assembly session.
Reiterating President Joe Biden's stance, the official said the White House hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this fall. Miller stated, "We believe nothing can replace direct dialogue between leaders. Therefore, we will continue our efforts toward that possibility."
Previously, China had hinted that any meeting between Xi and Biden in San Francisco would depend on whether the US showed "sufficient sincerity."
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