U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will meet with senior Chinese official Liu Jianchao in Washington on Friday. The talks will take place just one day before the elections in Taiwan, Reuters writes, UNN reports .
Details
The January 13 presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan are the first attempt in 2024 for the Biden administration to stabilize ties with China.
Blinken's schedule does not provide additional details about the meeting, but it will be the latest in a flurry of US-China interactions following the November summit between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco.
Context
The Taiwanese government has accused China of an unprecedented campaign of election interference, using everything from military activities to trade sanctions to sway votes toward candidates Beijing may favor. China has called the allegations "dirty tricks.
Washington warned China not to interfere in the elections on the democratically governed island and said Beijing would be a provocateur if it decided to respond with additional military pressure.
China has never abandoned the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
The United States is Taiwan's most important international arms sponsor and supplier, despite having no formal diplomatic ties with the island. China says that Taiwan is its most sacred red line and the most dangerous issue in U.S.-China relations, warning that any move toward formal independence means conflict.
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