White House and Chinese Foreign Ministry Describe Their Talks as "Candid and Constructive"

An American official revealed today, Sunday, that White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malta earlier this week, as the world's two largest economies seek to stabilize their tense relations. Sullivan's meeting with Wang is the latest in a series of high-level talks between American and Chinese officials that could lay the groundwork for a meeting between the two countries' leaders, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, later this year. Statements from both the White House and the Chinese Foreign Ministry published today noted that the officials had "candid, objective, and constructive" discussions during several meetings on September 16 and 17. This meeting follows Sullivan's last encounter with Wang in May in Vienna. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that both sides agreed to continue high-level meetings and engage in bilateral consultations regarding affairs in the Asia-Pacific as well as maritime issues and foreign policy matters. The White House added that both sides are "committed to maintaining this strategic channel of communication and to continue further high-level engagement and consultations in key areas... in the coming months." Washington stated that Sullivan "emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," while the Chinese Foreign Ministry's statement quoted Wang warning the United States that the Taiwan issue is "the first red line that cannot be crossed in Sino-U.S. relations." Biden and Xi last met in 2022 on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit held in Bali, Indonesia.