US-China ties seen ‘warming up again in stages’ as top officials meet
- Chinese vice-president is set to meet US secretary of state in New York
- There is ‘clear political will’ to manage tensions, according to analyst
According to the US readout, the Malta meeting was part of “ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the relationship”. It also said the US “noted the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
China’s foreign ministry on Sunday said the talks were focused on “stabilising and improving relations”.
Wang stressed that the Taiwan issue was the “first insurmountable red line in Sino-US relations”, and that Chinese people could not be deprived of their “legitimate right to development”.
Wang told Malta’s President George Vella that he had discussed with Sullivan ways to effectively manage differences and explore mutually beneficial cooperation, calling the meeting “comprehensive, in-depth and beneficial”, according to a separate Chinese statement.