Top Biden official meets Xi to manage ties ahead of US presidential polls

Essential to prevent competition from veering into conflict, says Jake Sullivan

- Lim Min Zhang

Both the United States and China have signalled that they are looking for stability, as the US nears a period of leadership transition following its presidential election this November.

Speaking with reporters after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of a three-day Beijing trip on Aug 29, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said such diplomatic efforts are meant to responsibly manage a competitive relationship.

Preventing competition from veering into conflict is work that is ongoing, he added. He also pledged to work towards reaching the end of US President Joe Biden's administration "with the (US-China) relationship on a stable basis, even though we have areas of differences and difficulty".

Mr Sullivan's trip to China - the first by a US national security adviser in eight years comes with the US in the midst of an evenly matched presidential election race between Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.

Mr Sullivan said the upcoming election was not discussed in his conversations with Chinese leaders "that's obviously something for the American people to decide", he added.

But on whether Chinese officials asked about a potential Harris administration, Mr Sullivan said he was able to share that she has been a "leading member" of Mr Biden's foreign policy team, even as he would not characterise what their questions on Ms Harris were.