Xi Jinping-Biden Meeting 'Highly Likely,' Says Expert, As US National Security Adviser Heads To Beijing

In a significant development, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Adviser, landed in Beijing, sparking speculation of a potential summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. This news comes despite the prevailing low expectations and heightened tensions between the two nations.

What Happened: Sullivan’s visit, the first by a White House National Security Adviser in eight years, is viewed as a precursor to a possible Biden-Xi summit. The agenda for Sullivan’s visit includes discussions on contentious issues such as Beijing’s alleged support for Russia’s defense industry, the South China Sea, and Taiwan.

Lu Xiang, a U.S.-China relations specialist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, opined that the chances for a Biden-Xi meeting are “very high,” the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

Despite the increased dialogue between the two nations, tensions persist, particularly after the Biden administration added several Chinese entities to blacklists as part of a sanctions package against Russia’s international supply chain.

"If he does not come, he will be the only U.S. president [in decades] who has never visited China. That would be a pity for him," Lu said.

See Also: China Slams Canada’s 100% Tariffs On Chinese EVs After Trudeau Administration Follows In The Footsteps Of US And EU: ‘Typical Trade Protectionism’

Why It Matters: Sullivan’s visit is a significant step in implementing the common understandings reached between the Chinese and U.S. presidents at their San Francisco meeting. However, around the time Sullivan’s trip was announced, the U.S. faced backlash from China for adding several Chinese entities to its export control list.

Experts have warned about the increasing vilification of China, with Stephen Roach, senior fellow at Yale Law School and former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, cautioning that the current U.S. policy towards China could lead to disastrous consequences.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari