Bangkok, Thailand:

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi will discuss Taiwan with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan during talks in Thailand this week, Beijing said on Friday, as the two powers seek to improve ties after years of tension.

Beijing and Washington have clashed in recent years over issues ranging from technology and trade to human rights, as well as over self-ruled islands and competing claims in the South China Sea.

Seeking to repair some of the worst relations in decades, President Joe Biden met with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November, which both sides described as a worthy success.

“Wang Yi will state China’s positions on China-US relations, Taiwan and other issues, and exchange views with the US on international and regional issues of common concern,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on Friday. do.”

Earlier, Beijing had said Wang would meet Sullivan in the Thai capital and stay in the country until Monday.

America said that talks would take place on Friday and Saturday.

“This meeting continues the commitment of both sides to maintain strategic communication and responsibly manage the relationship at the Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi in November 2023,” the White House said.

On Friday, Sullivan met with Thai Prime Minister Shretha Thavisin and other top officials in Bangkok, both countries said.

The White House said they discussed “regional and global issues, including efforts to address the worsening crisis in Burma,” where fighting has erupted between the Myanmar junta and ethnic armed groups in the country’s north.

sources of stress

Speaking in Beijing this month, Wang said that although the relationship faced “serious difficulties”, ties had “stabilized” last year.

But Wang’s rosy assessment belied continuing sources of tension, with the two powers recently facing off over elections in the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims.

A delegation of US lawmakers visited the island this week, meeting with newly elected President Lai Ching-te and reaffirming Washington’s support for democracy.

During the recent referendum, Chinese officials slammed Lai as a dangerous separatist who would lead Taiwan down the “bad path” of independence.

And following Washington’s message congratulating him on his election, Beijing said it “strongly condemns” the statement, and warned the United States against any support of “separatist forces” on the island.

In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry complained on Thursday that Washington had “carried out a series of negative words and actions” since Lai’s election.

Spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the United States to “immediately stop violating and provocative actions” and “stop causing trouble for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)