Senior officials in President Joe Biden's administration have announced that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to the United States this week for a long-awaited visit. The visit comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, which U.S. officials hope Beijing can help contain.
The officials stated that Wang will be in Washington from October 26 to 28, where he will meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, though they did not disclose whether he would also meet with Biden.
Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit the U.S. ahead of the anticipated meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November. This visit follows a summer in which many senior U.S. officials, including Blinken, traveled to Beijing.
Washington's top priority is to ensure that the intense competition between the world's two largest economies does not escalate into conflict. The two countries are at odds over a range of issues, from trade to Taiwan and the South China Sea.
One official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity, emphasized, "We still believe that direct diplomacy is the best way to discuss tough issues, address misunderstandings and miscommunication, and explore working with the Chinese where our interests align."
