CHINA-US: US SECRETARY OF STATE BLINKEN TO MEET CHINESE POLITBURO MEMBER YANG JIECHI AND FOREIGN MINISTER WANG YI ON MARCH 18 IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
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US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed on Twitter on March 11, that "I will meet on March 18 with People’s Republic of China Director Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi in Alaska to engage on a range of issues, including those where we have deep disagreements." Blinken will be on his way back from meeting with allies Japan and the ROK. Blinken and NSA Jake Sullivan will both be meeting the Chinese officials. CNN separately reported that a statement from the department said"The meeting will be held in Alaska to allow Blinken to attend the meeting on his way back from his trip to Japan and South Korea". It quoted "two people familiar with the plans" as saying this also allows Chinese officials to give the impression domestically that they are not travelling to the US, since a visit to Washington or elsewhere in the US would garner more attention." The South China Morning Post (March 9) disclosed that the Chinese delegation could include two heavyweights and be led by Yang Jiechi, the Communist Party official in charge of foreign affairs who often serves as President Xi Jinping’s envoy. He could be joined by State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. They are to meet in a bid to reset the volatile but pivotal Sino-US relationship.
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