The White House announced that U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will speak by phone in the coming weeks in an effort to improve relations between the two superpowers. National security adviser Jake Sullivan recently wrapped up two days of talks in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, discussing bilateral, regional, and global issues. Both sides agreed to maintain open lines of communication, including planning for a leader-level call and a call between their military commanders.
Relations between the U.S. and China have been strained by issues such as tech and trade restrictions, Beijing’s alleged support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, tensions in the South China Sea, and the status of Taiwan. The Biden administration has sought to manage competition with China while finding areas for cooperation, such as climate change and combating illicit drugs. Sullivan and Wang have been meeting since last year to stabilize the relationship, with plans for a second round of U.S.-China talks on artificial intelligence and cooperation in repatriation of undocumented migrants and climate change.
Both Biden and Xi have only spoken once by phone since November, with limited opportunities left before Biden’s term ends next year. During their last talks, agreements were reached on counternarcotics, military-to-military communications, and artificial intelligence safety. The White House mentioned an upcoming trip to China by John Podesta, the new U.S. climate envoy, indicating efforts to address climate change as another area of potential cooperation between the two countries.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com