China Tells US To Lift Sanctions For Military Talks

China has expressed its desire for the U.S. to lift sanctions as a prerequisite for high-level military communication between the two nations, according to a Chinese diplomat on Wednesday.

What Happened: China’s Embassy in Washington spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, stated in a briefing that the U.S. must remove the unilateral sanctions it has imposed on China before any military exchange and cooperation can occur, Bloomberg reports. Liu did not specify any sanctions but likely referred to the U.S. request to engage with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 over a Russian arms purchase.

"The US side knows the reason for difficulties in its military-to-military relations with China — it actually imposed unilateral sanctions on China," Pengyu said.

"Such obstacles should be removed before any exchange and cooperation could take place between the two countries."

See Also: US Aims To Thwart Xi Jinping’s AI Ambitions As China Lures Billionaires Into Race

Why It Matters: The call for lifting sanctions comes amidst the Biden administration’s efforts to increase communication channels with China. As previously reported by Benzinga, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently expressed her intention to visit China to reestablish contact. Furthermore, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to monitor Chinese private companies aiding Russia's military efforts in Ukraine.

Read Next: Blinken Stands By Biden’s ‘Dictator’ Label On Xi Jinping: ‘Going To Continue To Do And Say Things You Don’t Like’