Politics Rare exchange: US security advisor meets China's top general
In a sign of rapprochement between China and the US, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has held a rare meeting with one of China's top military leaders during his visit to Beijing. "Your proposal to meet with me shows your high regard for the military security sector and the relations between our two armies," said General Zhang Youxia when welcoming Sullivan, as seen in a report by the Chinese channel "Phoenix TV".
29.08.2024, 08:24
SDA
As an advisor to President Joe Biden, Sullivan plays a decisive role in the formulation of US security strategies and the coordination of policy towards China, Zhang continued. The general holds the office of Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC). The Central Military Commission is the highest military decision-making body of the People's Republic and is headed by State and Party leader Xi Jinping.
Increasing tensions in the region
In the strained relations between Washington and Beijing, military contacts between the two states have also suffered in recent years. At a meeting in November, Biden and Xi agreed to restore these contacts after they had been abruptly broken off when the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan in August 2022, much to Beijing's annoyance. Beijing considers the democratic island republic to be part of its territory.
There are also ongoing tensions between Beijing and the USA's allies in the region. It was only on Monday that a Chinese military aircraft entered Japanese airspace for the first time. In addition, there have recently been several clashes between ships from China and the Philippines in the dispute over territorial claims in the South China Sea.
First trip to China in eight years
On Tuesday, Sullivan was the first US security advisor to visit the People's Republic in eight years. He first met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The US government described the talks as "open, objective and constructive".
