The White House said on Wednesday that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is on a three-day visit to China, told Beijing that the U.S. will stand up for its regional allies after Japan and the Philippines accused China of stoking tensions. Read more
The White House said on Wednesday that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is on a three-day visit to China, told Beijing that the United States would defend its allies in the region, after Japan and the Philippines accused China of stoking tensions.
“Mr Sullivan reaffirmed America's commitment to defend our allies in the Indo-Pacific region,” AFP quoted the White House as saying after he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
He also expressed concern about “destabilizing” Chinese maritime operations against the Philippines, according to the White House.
After the meeting, Chinese state media reported that Wang warned the United States not to support the Philippines in the South China Sea dispute.
“The United States should not use the bilateral treaty as an excuse to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or tolerate the Philippines' infringements,” AFP quoted Wang as telling Sullivan, citing state-run CCTV.
China said on Monday it had taken “control measures” against two Philippine coast guard vessels for “illegally” entering disputed reefs and waters.
Manila said the Chinese vessels had prevented a Philippine ship from resupplying a Philippine coast guard vessel in the area, condemning the action as “aggressive” and calling Beijing the “biggest obstructer” of peace in Southeast Asia.
“China is resolutely committed to safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over the islands in the South China Sea,” Wang told Sullivan, according to CCTV.
Meanwhile, Japan accused Beijing of violating Japanese airspace for two minutes with its patrol aircraft off the Tancho Islands in the East China Sea on Monday.
It said the first confirmed violation of Japanese airspace by a Chinese military aircraft was a “serious violation of sovereignty” and accused the Chinese government of being “increasingly aggressive.”
Sullivan arrived in Beijing on August 27 for new strategic consultations ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.
This will be Sullivan's first visit to China but will build on his previous interactions with Wang Yi in Vienna, Malta and Bangkok.
The visit underscores ongoing efforts to keep communication channels open and address rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
The meeting between Sullivan and Wang Yi takes on added importance as President Joe Biden nears the end of his term without visiting China.
Ahead of the meeting, there had been speculation that Sullivan's visit to Beijing could serve as a catalyst for Biden's first visit to China.
But some analysts are skeptical, noting that while such a visit might be more realistic in a pre-war scenario, it remains unlikely that Biden would visit China before leaving office.
If Biden departs without making the trip, he will join Ronald Reagan as one of only two US presidents not to visit China during his term in office.
In this light, Sullivan's visit is seen as an important proxy.
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