Senior US, China diplomats meet in Washington in latest effort to maintain dialogue

Two senior US and Chinese diplomats met in Washington for “candid, in-depth, and constructive consultation,” according to the US side, the latest in a series of recent discussions to maintain lines of communication open between the world’s two largest economies. According to a statement issued by the State Department on Thursday, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister for Asia Sun Weidong. The take The discussion came after numerous high-level meetings between the two nations in recent months, including visits to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in July, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in August. Blinken recently met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in New York, and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malta. Key quotes “The two sides held a candid, in-depth, and constructive consultation on regional issues as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication,” the State Department said. Kritenbrink “reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the State Department said on Thursday, adding the two sides also discussed other regional issues, including Myanmar, North Korea, and maritime matters. Context Relations between the world’s two largest economies have been strained in recent years due to a number of issues including Taiwan, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations of spying and trade tariffs, among others. High-level talks between the two sides could help set the stage for a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year.