The U.S. State Department revealed that Secretary Antony Blinken will meet with Chinese chief diplomat Wang Yi in Jakarta today, Thursday, as officials head to Indonesia for meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Wang represents China at the Jakarta meetings between ASEAN and partner countries after Beijing announced that Foreign Minister Qin Gang would not attend due to health reasons.
Blinken met with both Qin and Wang in Beijing last month, marking the first visit of a U.S. Secretary of State to China in five years. The aim of this visit was to ease tensions between the two superpowers, which are the largest economies in the world.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited China earlier this month, and U.S. climate envoy John Kerry is scheduled to visit China next week.
The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated that the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. held a rare meeting at the Pentagon yesterday with the top American defense official responsible for Asia, following U.S. criticism of China's reluctance to engage in military communications.
Analysts view these meetings as part of efforts to pave the way for a summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this year. Wang was seen sitting face-to-face with Blinken during a meeting at a hotel in downtown Jakarta, but they did not speak to the media.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated in a statement that the "candid and constructive discussions" addressed both areas of disagreement and potential cooperation. He added that the meeting is part of ongoing efforts to open channels of communication to clarify U.S. concerns across a wide range of issues and to manage competition responsibly, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and miscalculations. Miller also emphasized Secretary Blinken's reaffirmation of the importance of "maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."
