Jake Sullivan (right), U.S. National Security Advisor, shakes hands with Wang Yi (left), Director of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, before a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on January 26. Xinhua=Yonhap News
Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, made his first visit to China on August 27 ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. This visit is seen as an effort to coordinate the summit schedule between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Sullivan’s visit to China marks the first time a U.S. National Security Advisor has visited China since Susan Rice in 2016, eight years ago.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), Sullivan arrived at Beijing Airport on the same day. He was welcomed by Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, and Nicholas Burns, the U.S. Ambassador to China.
According to the White House and the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Sullivan is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with Wang Yi, Director of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, and others during his three-day visit. There is also a possibility of a meeting between Sullivan and President Xi Jinping.
Both sides are expected to coordinate the U.S.-China summit to be held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru in the third week of November. Following a meeting between Sullivan and Wang last September, President Xi attended the APEC summit held in San Francisco, U.S., two months later, where he held a summit meeting.
Speculation has also arisen about President Biden’s visit to China during this period. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing a source in Beijing, that there is a high possibility of President Biden’s visit to China during Sullivan’s visit.
In relation to this, Lu Xiang, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that Biden’s visit for the summit may occur after the U.S. presidential election on November 5. Lu stated that if President Biden does not visit China, he would be the only U.S. president in decades not to visit China, highlighting the political significance of a visit to China at the end of his term.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China, the last U.S. president who did not visit China during his term was Jimmy Carter (1977-1981). President Biden has visited China four times during his time as a senator and vice president, but has not visited China since assuming the presidency in 2021. In contrast, President Xi Jinping has made five visits to the U.S. since taking office in 2012.
Even if a U.S.-China summit meeting takes place, some experts suggest it may have only symbolic significance. Shi Yinhong, an expert on U.S.-China relations and a professor at Renmin University, stated in an interview with SCMP that the possibility of President Biden making new promises with China on behalf of the next administration after stepping down from office is low.
Both countries are engaged in intense negotiations leading up to the high-level meeting. Recently, the U.S. designated 42 Chinese entities for new export controls, citing support for Russia in the Ukraine war. Companies on the export control list require special approval from U.S. authorities to conduct business with them.
Global Times, a Chinese state-run English-language newspaper, emphasized the importance of “listening right” for successful strategic communication ahead of the high-level U.S.-China meeting. In an editorial on August 27, they stated that one of the criteria for evaluating the success of Sullivan’s visit would be establishing a correct mutual understanding through listening to China’s perspective.
Previously, the Chinese Foreign Ministry mentioned in a statement on August 25 that through this meeting, they will discuss strategic perceptions between the U.S. and China, national security, and economic issues. They emphasized the importance of taking a serious and firm stance on issues regarding Taiwan, strategic security, and presenting strict demands to the U.S.