High-Level US-China Talks in Malta

• Talks described as “candid, substantive, and constructive.”
• Part of ongoing efforts to stabilize US-China relations.
• Potential groundwork for a meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi.

Over the weekend, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan engaged in a significant meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Malta, marking another step in the ongoing efforts to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies. Both Beijing and Washington confirmed this development on Sunday, highlighting the importance of these talks.

The discussions that took place on September 16-17 were described as “candid, substantive, and constructive” in separate statements issued by the White House and the Chinese foreign ministry. These high-level meetings follow a series of previous engagements between officials from the United States and China, with the potential for a meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping later in the year. Notably, Sullivan and Wang had previously met in Vienna in May.

China’s foreign ministry revealed that both parties agreed to uphold extensive exchanges and conduct bilateral consultations concerning Asia-Pacific affairs, maritime issues, and foreign policy. The White House, in its statement, underlined the commitment of both sides to maintain this crucial channel of communication and expressed the intent to pursue further high-level engagement and consultations in key areas over the forthcoming months.

The issue of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was a topic of significance during these talks, with Washington emphasizing its importance. In response, Wang Yi cautioned the United States, noting that the Taiwan issue represents the “first insurmountable red line of Sino-US relations,” as conveyed in the Chinese foreign ministry’s statement.

Earlier this month, President Biden expressed his disappointment that President Xi had opted out of a summit involving Group of 20 leaders in India but expressed optimism about a future meeting. The next likely opportunity for such talks between Biden and Xi is anticipated to be at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for November in San Francisco. This ongoing diplomatic engagement underscores the significance of stabilizing relations between these two global powers.

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