Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, will visit China next week to manage tensions ahead of the US elections, the White House said Friday.
Sullivan will travel to Beijing from August 27 to 29, marking the first visit by a US national security advisor to China since 2016. Other senior officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have visited China over the past two years.
The visit comes months before the November US elections, where Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to campaign on engaging in dialogue with China while maintaining pressure. Her rival, Donald Trump, has vowed a tougher stance, framing the situation as a global showdown with China.
A senior administration official emphasized that the Biden administration’s engagement with China does not indicate a softer approach. “This is an intensely competitive relationship,” she said, adding that the US remains committed to making necessary investments, strengthening alliances, and implementing tech and national security measures.
“We are committed to managing this competition responsibly and preventing it from veering into conflict,” the official added. She noted that the United States does not expect major breakthroughs during the trip, where Sullivan will meet China’s foreign policy chief Wang Yi.
Sullivan will also address US concerns about China’s support for Russia and discuss issues related to North Korea and the Middle East. The US has urged China to use its influence to rein in Iran, countering Beijing’s criticism of US support for the Zionist entity.
