US diplomats to visit China amid new sanctions
2022.12.10 15:03
US diplomats to visit China amid new sanctions
Budrigannews.com – The U.S. State Department announced on Saturday that a high-level delegation will travel to China next week to prepare for Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip there early next year and follow up on President Joe Biden’s recent talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Following remarks made by a senior White House official, the United States made the announcement that China wants to stabilize relations with the United States in the short term as it faces domestic economic challenges and opposition to its assertive diplomacy in Asia.
The State Department announced in a statement that from December 11 to 14, National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Laura Rosenberger and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to China, South Korea, and Japan.
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On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia in mid-November, a meeting aimed at preventing strained ties between the United States and China from spilling over into a new Cold War, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had open discussions about Taiwan and North Korea.
In the midst of simmering disagreements regarding human rights, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and economic issues, the two leaders pledged to communicate more frequently.
According to the State Department, the delegation will prepare for Blinken’s visit by following up on the meeting “to continue responsibly managing the competition between our two countries and to explore potential areas of cooperation.”
The largest display of public discontent since Xi’s election to power in 2012 was the culmination of widespread protests last month in response to China’s stringent COVID-19 protocols. The regulations had slowed down the economy.
Kurt Campbell, the White House’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, said on Thursday that China was interested in more predictable ties with Washington in the “short term” because of these issues and perceptions that it had upset many of its neighbors.
Two days earlier, Campbell gave a speech at an Aspen Security Forum event in Washington in response to the United States’ announcement of plans to increase its rotational military presence in Australia, a key regional ally, in light of common worries about China.
