US-China Officials Discuss Taiwan, Military Communication

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with General Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, to discuss military communication, Taiwan, Chinese territorial claims, Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit, trade, the Russian war against Ukraine, stability in the Taiwan Strait, and Chinese support for Russia.

Sullivan also met with China's leader Xi Jinping to address the Ukraine war and potential conflicts, agreeing to maintain communication through theater-level military calls and a Xi-Biden phone call. Despite tensions over Taiwan's status, trade tariffs, South China Sea tensions, and China's warning about Taiwan, both sides expressed a commitment to stable relations.

Sullivan's visit aimed to maintain high-level strategic communication. The US remains concerned about China's growing nuclear arsenal and modernization efforts, with talks focusing on improving communication between the two countries' militaries.

However, progress on nuclear weapons containment has been limited, as China's policy and launch-on-warning capacity raise questions, and arms control talks have been hindered by a 'trust deficit'. China's nuclear growth has been described as a 'breathtaking strategic breakout'.