Wang, Sullivan share ‘candid, fruitful’ talks
Top Beijing diplomat stresses US must uphold one-China principle
In the latest dialogue between senior officials of the two sides, Beijing has called on Washington to “support China’s peaceful reunification”, reiterating important points as the two sides made detailed plans for enhanced official contacts and collaboration.
Observers said the improving relations between the world’s top two economies need to continue the momentum of warming, noting that many other countries have made it clear that they do not want tension regarding the Taiwan Strait, or to have to choose sides between the United States and China on a wide range of topics.
The latest dialogue occurred when Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee,
held talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Jan 26 and 27 in Bangkok, Thailand.
“The two sides had candid, substantive and fruitful strategic communication on rolling out the consensus of the San Francisco meeting of the two heads of state and on the proper handling of important, sensitive issues in China-US relations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement after the dialogue, referring to a leaders’ meeting that took place last November.
The White House, in a statement released on Jan 27, said: “The two sides held candid, substantive and constructive discussions on global and regional issues”.
So far, Wang and Sullivan have held four separate rounds of one-on-one talks over the past nine months: in Vienna, Austria, in May; in Malta in September; in Washington in October; and in Bangkok last week.
During the Bangkok talks, Wang defined “Taiwan independence” as “the biggest risk to peace and stability
in the Taiwan Strait” and “the biggest challenge to China-US relations”.
He emphasized that the recent elections in the Taiwan region “cannot change the basic fact that Taiwan is a part of China”.
Washington should abide by the one-China principle and the three landmark China-US joint communiques, put into action its commitment to not supporting “Taiwan independence”, and “support China’s peaceful reunification”, he said.
Calling “Taiwan independence” the biggest challenge to the ties was a way of “urging Washington to keep a clear eye and a cool head”, said Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department of American Studies at the China Institute
of International Studies.
“The US recently continued sending ships to the Taiwan Strait and has also advanced arms sales to the island. Apparently, it has not given up its approach of playing the ‘Taiwan card’,” she said.
In Bangkok, China made its position clear by warning the US not to make further dangerous tests of its bottom line, she said. “This not only matters to China’s national interests, but also to the stability of the relations.”
Before the Bangkok talks, Thai Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachok said Thailand was confident that the dialogue between Beijing and Washington will contribute
to peace and security in the region and on the global stage.
China and the US confirmed during the Bangkok meeting that the two heads of state will “maintain regular contact and provide strategic navigation for the bilateral relations”, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
In terms of future official cooperation, the two sides agreed to launch a working group on counternarcotics cooperation in the near future, and to hold the first meeting of the intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence this spring.
Beijing and Washington agreed to advance bilateral contacts at all levels in various fields and to take steps to expand people-to-people exchanges.