As the twilight of President Joe Biden's tenure approaches, a renewed emphasis on foreign policy is taking center stage.
In a move that underscores this shift, Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, is set to embark on a diplomatic mission to China.
According to Newsweek, the White House is anticipated to officially announce Sullivan's trip later today. The national security adviser is slated to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, next week. This will mark Sullivan's inaugural visit to China, despite his extensive engagement with Chinese officials throughout Biden's administration. His role has often involved delicately steering the intricate relationship between the two global superpowers.
This high-stakes rendezvous could potentially lay the groundwork for another direct meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders last met in Northern California in November, where they spent four hours discussing a range of issues. "They made modest progress on issues such as combating illegal fentanyl and reopening military communication channels," the report noted. However, substantial disagreements persisted on several fronts, including economic competition and global security.
As the curtain falls on Biden's presidency, both he and Xi appear keen to stabilize a relationship increasingly characterized by disputes over export controls, divergent views on Taiwan's status, and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. However, several unresolved tensions continue to cast a shadow over Sino-American relations.
Earlier this week, China leveled accusations at Washington, branding it the creator of the world's largest nuclear threat. This followed reports that Biden had approved a shift in U.S. deterrent strategy to focus on China. The highly classified "Nuclear Employment Guidance" document, updated approximately every four years, is expected to spotlight China's nuclear arsenal expansion for the first time in its latest revision.
Further exacerbating tensions, the Biden administration announced in May its intention to drastically hike tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, from 25% to a whopping 100%. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai justified the decision as a move "to encourage the elimination of the People's Republic of China's unfair technology transfer-related policies and practices that continue to burden U.S. commerce and harm American workers and businesses."
Sullivan's visit coincides with a pivotal political juncture in the U.S. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the leading contenders to succeed Biden, have advocated for a hardline stance on China. The outcome of this diplomatic endeavor could significantly influence U.S.-China relations, extending far beyond Biden's presidency.
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