China Says It Will Discuss Taiwan, Tariffs And More With Biden's Top Advisor During Historic Beijing Visit

In a significant diplomatic development, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to visit China from Aug. 27 to 29. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has confirmed that the visit will include strategic communication talks on Taiwan and tariffs.

What Happened: Sullivan’s visit comes at the invitation of Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. This visit will be the first by a U.S. National Security Advisor to China in eight years and Sullivan’s inaugural visit to the country, Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

The MFA has emphasized that 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. Despite ongoing tensions, the two nations have maintained communication across various sectors.

During the visit, Wang Yi and Sullivan will discuss China-U.S. relations, sensitive issues, and major international and regional hotspots. China will raise serious concerns about the Taiwan question, the right to development, and China’s strategic security.

See Also: Chinese Firms Are Reportedly Accessing High-End Nvidia AI Chips Using AWS And Microsoft Cloud Services, Bypassing US Restrictions

Why It Matters: The visit comes in the backdrop of escalating tensions between the two nations. In May, President Joe Biden announced significant increases in tariffs on a range of Chinese goods, a move aimed at protecting the American economy and safeguarding domestic jobs. This was met with strong opposition from China, which viewed the decision as a politicization of economic and trade issues.

In June, the U.S. and China confronted the Taiwan issue in their first informal nuclear talks in five years. The U.S. expressed concerns that China might resort to nuclear threats over Taiwan, which China denied.

Further straining relations, the U.S. approved a $500 million military financing package for Taiwan in July, leading China to suspend talks with the U.S. on arms control and nuclear proliferation.

Recently, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te warned that China's threat to any individual country should be considered a global threat.

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