The visit by U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to China underscores the mutual commitment of both sides to the "San Francisco Vision" on future development of China-U.S. relations, according to a Chinese expert.
Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a three-day visit to China, in which the Chinese and U.S. sides will hold a new round of strategic communication.
Sullivan was invited by Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, to attend the strategic communication.
According to Su Xiaohui, deputy director of the Department for American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, Sullivan's visit signifies the Biden administration's prioritization of relations with China and a joint effort of both sides to realize the "San Francisco Vision".
"The visit by Assistant to the U.S. President for National Security Affairs Jake Sullivan reflects the importance that the Biden administration attaches to relations with China and the importance that the two countries attach to delivering on the San Francisco vision. Sullivan's visit is the first visit to China by a National Security Advisor to the U.S. President after eight years and the first China visit by Sullivan. It reflects the U.S. willingness to communicate with China and the hope of the United States to maintain communication with China. Meanwhile, China is actively working to shape China-U.S. relations, and hopes that the U.S. will have a more rational understanding of China," Su said.
During the strategic communication, the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations, sensitive issues, and major international and regional hotspots.
The two sides will jointly take stock of the progress made by the two countries in implementing the common understandings of the two presidents in San Francisco, give full play to the 20-plus dialogue and communication mechanisms that have been established or resumed, and continue to discuss the issue of strategic perception and the limit between national security and economic activities.
The Chinese side will focus on raising serious concerns, articulating its position and laying out serious demands on issues related to the Taiwan question, the right to development and China's strategic security, the expert said.
China demands that the U.S. side stop turning economic and trade issues into political and security issues.
China will also ask the U.S. to work in the same direction and take more measures to facilitate the flow of people between the two countries.
In addition, China will urge the U.S. to fulfill its responsibilities as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and play a constructive role in political settlement of major, salient international and regional issues, not the contrary, according to the expert.
"We see that the China-U.S. relations are facing problems and challenges, but China does not shy away from it. What China points out is that perception is a key issue. China has clearly taken the U.S. as a partner. If the U.S. takes China as an adversary, it will create great uncertainty to the China-U.S. relationship and bring greater risks. On complicated and sensitive issues, especially the current situation across the Taiwan Strait, China will communicate with the U.S. side once again and hopes that the U.S. side will clearly understand the situation, abide by the one-China policy or principle, and see that U.S. any interference increases the risk of the cross-Strait situation losing control," Su said.
"China will also communicate with the U.S. on a range of regional and international issues. Cooperation between the two major countries is conducive to maintaining regional and international stability, and positive interaction between the two sides is also in line with expectations of the international community," she said.
On Nov. 15, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the Filoli Estate in San Francisco, exploring the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other as two great powers, clarifying their shared responsibilities and formulating a future-oriented “San Francisco Vision” that charts the direction for the healthy, stable and sustainable growth of relations.
The San Francisco Vision establishes the basic structure for the stable development of China-U.S. relations under today’s new circumstances. While the two countries differ vastly in terms of culture and social systems, they are closely intertwined in their interests and people-to-people exchanges.
U.S. Security Advisor's visit shows mutual commitment to San Francisco vision: expert
