Sullivan emphasized to Wang that President Biden is dedicated to managing the U.S.-China relationship responsibly. The aim of Sullivan’s visit, which continues through Thursday, is to sustain dialogue in a relationship that saw significant strain during 2022-23 but has been gradually repaired.
While no major announcements are anticipated, Sullivan’s discussions might set the stage for a potential final summit between Biden and Xi Jinping before Biden’s term ends in January.
Wang, who heads the Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office, acknowledged the ups and downs in U.S.-China relations in recent years. He stressed that maintaining mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and cooperative efforts is crucial.
Da Wei, an expert in U.S. and international relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, noted the importance of avoiding any new crises before the end of the Biden administration, as this could influence U.S.-China relations under the next administration. “The goal of this visit is to sustain the stable progress of China-U.S. relations over the past year through strategic communication and to prevent new crises in the coming months,” he said.
The Biden administration has taken a firm stance against China, viewing it as a strategic competitor by limiting its companies’ access to advanced technology and confronting its influence over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Relations, already tense, worsened after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, and further deteriorated when a suspected Chinese spy balloon crossed the U.S. before being shot down by the military in February.
Sullivan has frequently engaged in talks with Wang, who serves as both the foreign minister and the Communist Party’s top foreign policy official. Wang initially stepped down from the foreign minister role when he took the party position but returned in July 2023 after his successor was dismissed for undisclosed reasons.
Since their May 2023 meeting in Vienna, where they began efforts to repair relations, Sullivan and Wang have met in Malta and Thailand. This week marks their first discussions in Beijing.
China’s Foreign Ministry has described the current state of U.S.-China relations as “critical” and has noted ongoing discussions on climate and other issues. However, it has also criticized the U.S. for continuing to impose restrictions on China.
Additionally, Canada announced it will match the U.S. 100% import tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, a move influenced by Sullivan’s recent meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Cabinet.
