Top US, China National Security Figures Hold “Candid” Talks

By Staff, Agencies

Top Chinese and US security advisers held lengthy talks on Monday, with both sides describing them as "candid" following days of acrimonious exchanges over Taiwan and other flashpoint issues.

Readouts of the meeting in Luxembourg were toned down compared to last week when China's defense minister warned his country would not "hesitate to start a war" over Taiwan, while the US war secretary blasted Beijing's "provocative, destabilizing" military activity.

But US security advisor Jake Sullivan and top diplomat Yang Jiechi did not indicate any compromise on their core points of disagreement, especially Taiwan. China considers the self-ruled island a part of its territory, to be seized by force one day if necessary.

"The Taiwan question concerns the political foundation of China-US relations which, unless handled properly, will have a subversive impact," Yang was quoted as saying by China's official Xinhua news agency.

"The United States should not have any misjudgments or illusions [about Taiwan]," he added.

A senior White House official said Sullivan reiterated the US policy of recognizing Chinese sovereignty, but expressed "concerns about Beijing's coercive and aggressive actions across the Taiwan Strait."

Tensions over Taiwan have escalated in recent months due to increasing Chinese military aircraft incursions into the island's air defense identification zone [ADIZ].

US President Joe Biden, during a visit to Japan last month, appeared to break decades of US policy when, in response to a question, he said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if it was attacked by China. The White House since insisted that its policy of "strategic ambiguity" over whether or not it would intervene did not changed.

The Sullivan-Yang meeting, which followed up on a May 18 phone call, lasted about four and a half hours, the White House official told reporters. Xinhua said the talks were "candid, in-depth, and constructive" while the White House statement described them as "candid, substantive, and productive."

The US-China relationship has deteriorated in recent years, with the two powers locking horns on several issues, from international trade and security to human rights in China and – most recently – the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier on Monday, Sullivan "underscored the importance of keeping open lines of communication to manage competition between our two countries," according to the White House. Yang also agreed on maintaining dialogue, Xinhua said, but made clear that Beijing was not going to shift its red lines.