VALLETTA: Over the past two days, Malta has played host to high-level talks between Jake Sullivan, the United States National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, and Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China. Both officials were accompanied by their respective delegations.
These discussions come at a time of strained relations between the two largest global economies, marked by various contentious issues, including China’s support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
Reports from US media indicate that the primary topics on the agenda included the possibility of a future meeting between the leaders of the United States and China and other matters related to their bilateral relationship.
The meeting in Malta is being seen as “a significant step” in the United States’ efforts to improve and mend its deeply strained relations with China.
During the talks, Prime Minister Robert Abela also met with Jake Sullivan. Both sides emphasized the critical significance of maintaining stability in the Mediterranean region, emphasizing its importance for global peace and security.
🇲🇹 proudly hosted talks between 🇺🇸 & 🇨🇳. In a meeting with @JakeSullivan46, I underlined the importance of global peace as a fundamental prerequisite for the quality of life of our people. When called upon like these past days, our country will continue to give its part. – RA pic.twitter.com/VDFoIGXcyE
— Robert Abela (@RobertAbela_MT) September 17, 2023
Prime Minister Abela highlighted that global peace is a fundamental prerequisite for a prosperous world, where the quality of life for people and communities enables nations to collaborate and collectively address global challenges.
In an official statement, the Office of the Prime Minister highlighted Malta’s historical role as a natural and secure location for hosting high-level diplomatic discussions. It stated that Malta will continue to fulfill this role, promoting open channels of communication, and advocating for a more just, peaceful, and prosperous future when called upon.
US President Optimistic About Potential Meeting with Xi
President Biden expressed disappointment earlier this month when President Xi Jinping did not attend a summit of Group of 20 leaders in India. However, Biden remained optimistic about the possibility of an upcoming meeting between the two leaders. The next anticipated opportunity for President Biden and President Xi to engage in talks is at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for San Francisco in November.
Throughout this year, senior US officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, have traveled to China to ensure ongoing communication between the two nations, particularly given the heightened tensions resulting from incidents such as the US military downing a Chinese surveillance balloon that entered US airspace.
The last face-to-face meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi occurred in 2022 during the sidelines of a G20 summit hosted on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali.
