4th June 2023 – (Beijing) Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink arrived in Beijing on Sunday to meet with Chinese officials and discuss “key issues in the bilateral relationship,” according to a statement from the U.S. State Department. He will be joined by the White House National Security Council‘s senior director for China and Taiwan affairs, Sarah Beran. During his visit, Kritenbrink will also participate in the U.S.-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue. The two largest economies in the world have been at odds over a range of issues, from Taiwan and China’s human rights record to military activity in the South China Sea.
Kritenbrink’s discussions will also include human rights issues, according to a State Department spokesperson. The visit coincides with the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, an event that is heavily censored in China. Kritenbrink’s visit follows a recent trip to China by CIA Director William Burns, where he emphasised the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels.