Top China-U.S. officials to hold in-person meeting in Alaska

Top Chinese and U.S. officials plan to have their first in-person meeting since U.S. President Joe Biden took office in Alaska on March 18 and 19, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

National flags of China and U.S. [File Photo: Visual People]

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on his Twitter page that he will meet with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, as well as State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Alaska to engage on a range of issues, including those where the two sides have deep disagreements.

According to a department statement from spokesperson Ned Price, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is also expected to meet the two Chinese officials and discuss many issues with them.

Spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian said at Wednesday's routine press conference that he had no information to provide at present in answer to a question on a possible "senior-level" meeting between China and the United States.

A number of senior Chinese and U.S. diplomats have been sending positive signals for dialogue since Biden took office.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Biden on the eve of Spring Festival, and both sides agreed to keep communication channels open.

(Story includes material sourced from Xinhua and CGTN.)