On March 24, a high-level contact took place amid strained US-China ties. Jake Sullivan, the United States’ deputy national security adviser, reportedly spoke by phone with Wang Yi, the head of the Foreign Affairs Commission office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The disclosure comes via Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the matter. The private nature of the call underscores how sensitive the current relationship is, with tensions shaping how and why Washington and Beijing communicate behind closed doors.
According to the report, the conversation between Sullivan and Wang Yi was not announced publicly due to ongoing frictions between the two nations. Although the agency did not reveal the specific topics discussed, the silence itself signals how delicate the dialogue remains and how both sides are managing diplomacy in a climate of mutual apprehension.
There had been remarks from Karine Jean-Pierre, a former White House press secretary, suggesting the United States was preparing for a new phone exchange between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, though no further details have been released. The statement hints at a broader strategy of keeping lines open at the highest levels while avoiding premature disclosures that could complicate sensitive talks.
Earlier commentary from John Ratcliffe, who previously led the United States Director of National Intelligence, warned that the partnership between Russia and China could pose growing concerns for Washington. Those comments add context to the current environment, where senior officials weigh how a strengthened Sino-Russian alignment could influence global security, trade, and strategic stability.