WASHINGTON, 06 October 2021, (TON): United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is set to meet China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich on Wednesday, the White House has announced, amid mounting tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The meeting is scheduled just days after Chinese military manoeuvres near Taiwan were denounced by US President Joe Biden’s administration as “provocative” and “destabilising”.

Sullivan and Yang will follow up on a September 9 call between Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping “as we continue to seek to responsibly manage the competition” between the two countries, US National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also confirmed that US Trade Representative Katherine Tai would engage with her Chinese counterpart in talks on the implementation of a 2020 trade agreement between the two countries.

After Biden’s call with Xi last month, the White House said the two leaders agreed to continue to engage “openly and straightforwardly” on the issues where they disagree or share common interests.

Despite heightened tensions, US officials have stressed that Washington is not seeking conflict with Beijing.