The White House announced that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, in Luxembourg on Monday, describing the lengthy meeting between the two rival powers as “candid”.
The meeting between Sullivan and Jiechi came after a four-and-a-half-hour phone call between the two on May 18, a senior official told reporters.
The White House said in a statement that Sullivan and Jiechi “had cordial and fruitful discussions on a range of regional and global security issues, as well as key issues in US-China relations.”
In the text, Sullivan stressed “the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in order to manage the competition between the two countries”.
Interviewing journalists on condition of anonymity, the official acknowledged differences and tensions between the two countries on a variety of issues, including US-led attempts to isolate Russia by invading Ukraine and China’s threat to Taiwan.
On Sunday, Beijing’s defense minister promised that China would “fight to the end” to stop any attempt at Taiwan’s independence.
During his visit to Japan last month, US President Joe Biden said the US would break with the traditional policy of “strategic uncertainty” on the issue and defend Taiwan in the event of an attack.
The source cited said Sullivan strengthened Washington’s policy of recognizing China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, but expressed “concern about Beijing’s coercive and aggressive actions on the island.”
Despite the differences, the official said the dialogue is valuable to “keep the lines of communication open”.
“We don’t necessarily think of it in terms of specific deals, but in terms of ensuring that both parties understand the other’s intentions, the other’s priorities,” he explained, adding that this is “crucial” to avoid misunderstandings and “reduce scrapes.” .
Relations between the two countries deteriorated under Donald Trump, who launched a trade war in response to what China describes as abusive trade practices.
Biden said he is considering suspending some tariffs to quell rising inflation in the US.
source: Noticias
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