China, US to plan Biden-Xi call in coming weeks, says White House

Beijing and Washington will plan for a phone call in the coming weeks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, the White House said Wednesday after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

Sullivan's first trip to China as national security adviser was aimed at keeping high-level communications open and stabilising bilateral relations to avoid conflict.

The White House statement said both sides would keep lines of communication open, including planning for a leader-level call" in the coming weeks.

There was no indication the two leaders might meet in person before Biden leaves the Oval Office.

The White House said the two sides also planned to hold a military theater commander telephone call in the near future.

China has rapidly expanded its military, and there are concerns that Taiwan and the South China Sea are becoming flashpoints.

Wang told Sullivan that Taiwan's independence poses the greatest threat to