President Joe Biden will hold a virtual meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping before the end of the year, said White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan on Oct. 26.
Sullivan said he did not know the exact date of the scheduled meeting, but the decision was made when he met with China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich earlier this month.
The two leaders have spoken on the phone twice this year but have yet met in person since Biden took office in January. There was speculation that they could meet in Rome, where the G-20 summit will be held for two days starting on Oct. 30, or the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, which runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12.
“Xi has chosen not to attend these summits. He’s chosen not to leave China at all in calendar year 2021 to see any leader,” Sullivan added.
When asked if Xi had made a mistake in deciding not to travel overseas, Sullivan declined to comment.
“All I can say is, from the U.S. President’s perspective, President Biden does believe it’s important that he have the opportunity to have a face-to-face engagement with Xi Jinping,” Sullivan added.
“And if it’s not possible in person because of Xi’s travel constraints, doing it by virtual meeting is the next best thing. That’s what we’re intending to do.”
Sullivan added that it was important for the two leaders to hold regular talks.
“In an era of intense competition between the U.S. and China, intense diplomacy at the highest levels, leader-level diplomacy is vital to effectively managing this relationship,” he said.
“What commitments, if any, has the Chinese Communist Party made to the U.S. government about the health and safety of the U.S. delegation and American athletes and coaches?” Scott asked.
In another question, Scott asked: “How will you ensure that all American athletes’ communications will not be subject to Chinese law and censorship?”
In April, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing that the United States was not discussing a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
“We have not discussed and are not discussing any joint boycott with allies and partners,” Psaki said.
Even on issues that Beijing has shown a willingness to cooperate, the Chinese regime has previously said that there are strings attached.
“China-U.S. climate cooperation cannot be separated from the wider environment of the Sino-U.S. relations,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Kerry in the Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sept. 1.