WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has held meeting with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, holding an hour of discussion that the White House branded as a “good opportunity” in keeping lines of communication open between the two powers, Western media reported on Friday.
China’s Foreign Minister earlier held a second day of meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as the two sides seek to manage differences while laying groundwork for an expected meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Biden in November.
US-China Ties
White House spokesperson John Kirby said that President Biden hopes to see President Xi in the near future. However, he could not say whether or not an agreement was struck for the two leaders to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month in San Francisco.
However, Beijing has yet to announce whether or not President Xi will attend the summit. John Kirby said that Bident said that he expects to hold meeting again with Chinese leader Xi.
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Earlier, Chinse Foreign Minister Wang arrived at the State Department on Thursday — the first tour by a Chinese top diplomat to Washington during Biden’s administration. Wang also held a meeting with the US Secretary of State followed by a dinner.
China’s top diplomat hoped for more stable ties with Washington after months of turmoil. Wang Yi told Blinken, who also paid a visit to China in June, that Beijing wanted to “decrease misunderstanding.” Wang added, “We seek to increase cooperation that will benefit the two sides so that we can stabilize Sino-US ties and return them to the track of stable, healthy, and sustainable development,”.
The negotiation with China comes as the US enters an election season in which President Biden’s predecessor Trump, who is seeking to return to the office, has made criticism of China a signature policy.
