US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the White House views the upcoming meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco as a chance to advance bilateral development. It is seen as laying the groundwork for future relations, rather than a single, isolated encounter, according to TASS reporting.
According to Sullivan, Biden intends to use the APEC gathering to deepen the trajectory of U.S.-China engagement. The goal is to establish durable channels and shared understandings that can anchor steady cooperation in the years ahead, moving beyond episodic talks to a framework that can support ongoing dialogue.
He noted that Beijing’s response to Washington’s proposal to restore military-to-military communications was constructive, signaling a willingness to reduce friction and maintain essential lines of communication even amid sharp policy disagreements.
Earlier remarks from Sullivan indicated that the San Francisco meeting would cover strategic threats posed by Iran. The discussions are expected to address regional stability, potential nuclear concerns, and the broader implications for international security in the Middle East and beyond.
Specifically, Sullivan highlighted that Iran’s nuclear program and the threats it could pose would be on the agenda, reflecting Washington’s emphasis on nonproliferation, verification, and regional security dynamics during the talks with Beijing.
Separately, a former U.S. secretary of state underscored that Russia and China presently represent the most serious challenges to the current international order, underscoring the urgency of coordinated diplomatic and strategic responses among major powers.