US and Chinese officials held extensive talks in Bangkok

US and Chinese officials engaged in extensive talks lasting over 12 hours in Bangkok, according to a statement from the White House on Monday. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Chinese counterpart, Director Wang Yi, discussed various key issues, reviewing progress made since the November meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.

"Over the weekend, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held more than 12 hours of meetings in Bangkok with his counterpart from the People's Republic of China, Director Wang Yi,"said  John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House.

He further said "Sullivan and Director Wang took stock of progress on key issues following the meeting between President (Joe) Biden and (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) back in November. Now, that includes discussing efforts to resume military-to-military communication, which has occurred; addressing artificial intelligence safety and risks; and advancing bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation," Kirby said.

During the discussions, efforts to resume military-to-military communication were addressed and have since taken place. The officials also tackled topics such as artificial intelligence safety and risks, along with advancing bilateral cooperation on counter-narcotics. A new working group on counter-narcotics is set to launch in Beijing, led by US Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Jen Daskal.

Important topics covered in the talks

In addition to these matters, the two sides had constructive talks on global and regional issues. Topics included Russia's conflict with Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, the situation in the Korean Peninsula, tensions in the South China Sea, and matters related to Burma. Cross-Strait issues were also part of the agenda.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking at a separate press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, highlighted the importance of engaging with China on mutual concerns like climate change and arms control. However, he emphasized the need to recognize the security consequences arising from China's significant military buildup.

Stoltenberg expressed concern about the growing alignment between China and Russia in light of the war in Ukraine and stressed the importance of collective strength through alliances, particularly mentioning the significance of NATO. He underscored that facing challenges together as allies made the United States, along with its NATO partners, much stronger in the global arena.

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