US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping who stressed that Beijing was committed to a stable US-China relationship.
“In this changing and turbulent world, countries need solidarity and coordination…not exclusion or regress,” Xi said after their meeting on Thursday. Sullivan also emphasized Biden’s commitment to avoid a conflict.
In a sign of the two superpowers trying to avoid conflict despite rising tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan, Sullivan also held rare talks with senior Chinese military official Gen. Zhang Youxia, as he wrapped up his three day trip to China.
The meeting was the first time since 2018 that a US official met with the vice chair of the Central Military Commission, an organization led by Xi that oversees China’s military.
The US and China agreed on Wednesday to hold calls between military commanders, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said, something the US has been proposing for some time to reduce military tensions in the South China Sea and avoid misunderstandings.
