Senior US official Wendy Sherman to meet China’s Wang Yi in Tianjin next week
- Chinese foreign ministry said the talks, which will take place on Sunday and Monday, were proposed by Washington
- Sherman, the United States’ second highest diplomat, will stop in China after a visit to Mongolia and before heading to Oman
In a statement on Wednesday, the US State Department said the discussions were part of “ongoing US efforts to hold candid exchanges with PRC officials to advance US interests and values and to responsibly manage the relationship”.
“The deputy secretary will discuss areas where we have serious concerns about PRC actions, as well as areas where our interests align,” it said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Xie Feng, a vice-minister in charge of US affairs, would also meet with Sherman during her visit on Sunday and Monday.
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“China will make clear to the United States its position on the development of Sino-US relations and its firm attitude in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, and demand that the United States stop interfering in China‘s internal affairs and harming China’s interests,” the ministry said in a statement.
Sherman’s meeting with Xie will take place before her discussions with Wang, the ministry said.
Xie was the foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong and has also been a foreign ministry “point person” on Xinjiang – two key issues troubling China-US relations.
In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the upcoming meetings had been proposed by the US side.
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“As the largest developing country and the largest developed country, China and the US bear common responsibilities and are supposed to strengthen communication and cooperation to be an example for the world,” Zhao said.
“Cooperation between China and the United States in specific fields is closely related to the overall health of China-US relations.”
The negotiations show the importance attached to diplomatic protocols for the two rivals, with neither wanting to appear weak or at a disadvantage going into a meeting.
After China, Sherman will go to Oman for meetings with deputy foreign minister Sheikh Khalifa Al Harthy to discuss advancing peace and security in the region.
US hackers attacked thousands of servers in China, news report claims
This followed the sanctioning of seven Chinese officials which Washington said were responsible for undermining the autonomy of Hong Kong. Beijing denounced the sanctions and threatened to take strong retaliation.
Beijing disputed the cyberespionage allegations, saying that they were a fabrication and that the US had conducted widespread eavesdropping across the world.
The website of Global Times, a tabloid affiliated with People’s Daily, outlined three cases of “malicious cyber activities” by the US between August and October last year that allegedly targeted the servers of sensitive facilities to prime them for later intrusion and infiltration opportunities.
In October, a US hacker group allegedly attacked 2,426 servers in China, most at government and party facilities, according to the report.
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The US also marked the fifth anniversary of an international tribunal’s ruling rejecting most of China’s claims in the South China Sea, with a statement on Sunday by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on Beijing to stop provocative actions in the disputed waterway. He also reaffirmed that the US’ mutual defence treaty with the Philippines included a commitment to respond if it was attacked by China.
Sherman’s trip to China comes as Washington and Beijing are reviewing their policies towards each other.
Biden’s point man for Asia, Kurt Campbell, is finalising a review that will give recommendations for Washington’s policy direction.
Campbell said the US would “step up our game substantially” in Southeast Asia but made clear Washington did not support independence for Taiwan – one of Beijing’s “red lines” – while continuing to foster a strong unofficial relationship with the self-ruled island.
Additional reporting by Jun Mai and Owen Churchill
