US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has visited China, the first such visit in eight years.
Sullivan was welcomed at Beijing Airport by representatives of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and US Ambassador Nicholas Burns.
US President Joe Biden's security adviser is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit, which is scheduled to last until Thursday. This marks the fifth meeting between the two.
Beijing had previously emphasized the urgency of talks between the two great powers. Relations have recently been severely strained.
A personal meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November did revive communication between both sides somewhat, but it was said by the Chinese Foreign Ministry before Sullivan's arrival that Washington had continued to "contain and suppress" China.
Both sides are likely to discuss matters such as the Russian war against Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan issue – namely the handling of the self-governing democratic island republic, which China considers part of its territory and which is supported by the US, much to Beijing's displeasure.
Customs duties in trade between the two largest economies are also likely to be addressed. In May, the US government announced plans to impose special tariffs of 100% on electric cars from China, effectively excluding them from the US market. These measures further escalated the trade conflict between the US and China that has been ongoing for years.
