The statement issued on Wednesday by the State Department said Sherman will travel to Tianjin where she will hold discussions with Wang….reports Asian Lite News
Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman will travel to China from July 25-26 during which she will meet top officials, including State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to an official statement.
The statement issued on Wednesday by the State Department said Sherman will travel to Tianjin where she will hold discussions with Wang.
“These discussions are part of ongoing US efforts to hold candid exchanges with Chinese officials to advance US interests and values and to responsibly manage the relationship.
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The Deputy Secretary will discuss areas where we have serious concerns about China’s actions, as well as areas where our interests align,’ the statement added.
While also confirming the visit, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the US had proposed to arrange Sherman’s trip to exchange views on bilateral ties, which was later agreed by both sides.
Besides Wang, Xie Feng, Vice Foreign Minister who takes charge of the China-US relations, will also hold talks with Sherman, according to the spokesperson.
“China will expound to the US its position on developing bilateral relations and a firm attitude in safeguarding its own sovereignty, security, and development interests.
“Beijing will demand that the US side should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and harming interests,” the spokesperson added.
Sherman’s trip to China marks the second time the world’s two largest economies hold high-level, in-person talks since President Joe Biden took office.
In March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Chinese officials in Alaska.
Last week, more than two dozen F-22 stealth fighters are being sent by the United States Air Force for an exercise in the western Pacific this month. This large deployment of the powerful jets seems to be to send a strong message to China.
In Operation Pacific Iron 2021 this month at Guam and Tinian islands, around 25 F-22s Raptors from the Hawaii Air National Guard and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, were be deployed.
Pacific Air Forces commander Gen Ken Wilsbach said, “We have never had this many Raptors deployed together in the Pacific Air Forces area of operations.” The world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, the F-22s are fifth-generation combat jets.
The Biden administration also imposed sanctions against seven Chinese officials over China’s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
However, China’s foreign ministry lashed out against the US government asserting that it was “purely China’s internal affairs”.
“The United States should abide by international law and basic norms of international relations, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs in any way,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.
“China will respond firmly and forcefully to the measures taken by the United States,” it added.
The US advisory mentioned risks involved with data privacy and the lack of access to information while mentioning Apple Daily newspaper which was shut by authorities.
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