China Confirms First High-level Meeting with Biden Government

The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that a meeting would be held in Anchorage (Alaska) between its diplomatic chiefs and those of the United States, which will be the first face-to-face contact between both governments after Joe Biden's presidential inauguration.

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The Asian side will be represented by Yang Jiechi, director of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The U.S. side will be represented by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

So far, there have only been telephone exchanges between Presidents Xi Jinping and Biden and between Yang and Blinken.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also called on Washington to examine bilateral relations objectively and rationally, abandon the Cold War mentality and contribute to peace maintenance. It demanded respect for China's sovereignty, security and development interests, not to interfere in its internal affairs, and to prioritize cooperation over differences.

For the Beijing authorities, it is an opportunity for rapprochement with Joe Biden's Administration -decided to ensure stable ties and to move away from the belligerent stance of the Trump Administration- on issues such as the fight against climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recovery of the world economy.