Biden adviser Jake Sullivan heads to China for talks before election

Jenny Leonard

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to China next week for meetings aimed at keeping up a dialogue with a key adversary even as tensions remain high over trade and Chinese support for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. 
 

The trip will be Sullivan’s first to China as President Joe Biden’s top national security aide, and will feature meetings with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two officials have met face-to-face every few months as part of Biden’s push to keep up communication despite the friction between the two sides.
 

A senior US official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said Sullivan will raise US concerns over China’s continued backing of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces. The US has not yet accused China of providing direct lethal support to Russia but has instead said Beijing is enabling the war by supporting the Russian defense-industrial base.
 

The official described the trip as part of a regular series of meetings in the time since Biden and President Xi Jinping met last November. At the same time, the relationship is coming even more sharply into focus as the November presidential election approaches, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both saying they’ll get tougher on China. 
 

“I will make sure that we lead the world into the future on space and artificial intelligence,” Harris told the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. “That America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century and that we strengthen, not abdicate, our global leadership.”
 

For his part, Trump has threatened across-the-board tariffs against all countries and a 60% duty on imports from China.
 

Sullivan’s meetings, which are scheduled to run Aug. 27-29, may be the last time he and Wang see each other before the election. It will also be the first time they’ve met since Biden announced his exit from the presidential race.
 

Beijing has also long complained about US measures to cut off China from high tech, including semiconductors, and the White House’s efforts to work with allies on security and economic issues. Wang is expected to once again raise those issues.
 

The US official played down the prospect of significant outcomes from the trip, while adding that the US still hopes to work with China in some areas including efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids into the US.

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.