Xi Jinping, Biden, top adviser seek to stabilize Sino-U.S. ties, eye final summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, a top aide to President Joe Biden, sought to establish stable bilateral relations when they met in Beijing on Thursday, ahead of a possible final summit between the two leaders before Biden steps down in January.

Xi said China and the United States should be “a source of stability” for world peace, and Beijing's commitment to the goal of a “stable, healthy and lasting” China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Sullivan said Washington hopes to find a way for the two largest economies to coexist peacefully and for their ties to develop sustainably, the ministry added.

The Chinese leader also said, according to the ministry, that Beijing's position of firmly safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged, in a veiled reference to China's claim to Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island.

The senior White House official spoke with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital on the last day of his three-day visit to China.

At a news conference after the talks, Sullivan said it was “likely” that Biden and Xi would both attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits later this year, and that it would be “natural” for them to have the opportunity to sit down together.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a news conference in Beijing on Aug. 29, 2024, after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

During two days of talks between Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi through Wednesday, the two sides agreed to arrange a call between Biden and Xi “in the coming weeks.”

The senior U.S. official also confirmed the importance of regular military-to-military communications during a meeting with Gen. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, the White House said.

In a rare meeting, Sullivan and Zhang, China's top military official, acknowledged progress in military-to-military communications over the past 10 months and planned to hold a phone call between theater commanders “in the near future,” according to the White House.

The deal was meant to prevent intense competition between the two countries from escalating into conflict or confrontation. High-level military communication channels had been closed since China protested a 2022 visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the US House of Representatives.

The situation has changed, however, since the agreement between Biden and Xi in November 2023 near San Francisco to reopen direct military talks at several levels.

In his meeting with Zhang, Sullivan said that peace and stability around Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory while often engaging in shows of force, are important, according to the White House.

The White House said Sullivan also stressed that the United States remains committed to maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and expressed concern about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base.

At the press conference, Sullivan said he raised U.S. concerns about “destabilizing actions” against the Philippines' “lawful” maritime operations in the South China Sea.

China's Defense Ministry said it is in the “common interests” of Beijing and Washington to maintain security stability, and the two sides should promote communication and exchanges between their militaries.

Regarding Taiwan, Zhang said the island's independence was “incompatible” with peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and that promoting reunification was the mission and duty of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

He also urged Washington to stop arming the territory and end “military collusion” with Taiwan, the ministry said.

Sullivan said he had not discussed the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November with Chinese officials, but stressed at the news conference that he had told them it was unacceptable for any nation to interfere in U.S. elections.

Biden dropped his re-election bid in July and will leave office next January. The last time he met in person with Xi was last November.

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