In recent news, U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to have a phone call in the “coming weeks,” according to the White House. This announcement comes as U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan visits Beijing to meet with Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat. Both countries have also agreed to have their military leaders engage in a call in the near future. Additionally, plans for a second round of U.S.-China talks on artificial intelligence are already in motion.
Previous to this, Biden and Xi had a lengthy phone call in early April following their in-person meeting in November 2023. The relationship between the two leaders was initially established on the sidelines of a summit in Woodside, California. Diplomatic talks between the U.S. and China have been challenging in recent years due to rising tensions and pandemic-related restrictions hindering communication.
Issues such as tech restrictions, the status of Taiwan, concerns in the South China Sea, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have all been points of contention between the two nations. Furthermore, a previous incident involving U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022 and a controversial “balloon incident” in February 2023 have only served to exacerbate the strained relationship between the U.S. and China.
Sullivan’s recent visit to Beijing marks an effort to keep channels of communication open, despite the challenges. This trip, which is the national security adviser’s first to China, builds on previous meetings Sullivan has had with Wang in the past. The significance of this visit is highlighted by the fact that the last official trip to China by a U.S. president’s national security adviser was in 2016 during the Obama administration.
As the political landscape evolves, both U.S. political parties remain united in their stance on being firm with Beijing. However, the upcoming call between Biden and Xi represents an opportunity for dialogue and potential progress in addressing the complex issues that divide the two countries. The importance of diplomacy in navigating these challenges cannot be understated, and the outcome of these discussions could have far-reaching implications for global relations.