Senior Biden administration officials to meet with Chinese counterparts next week in Alaska

Two top Biden administration officials will meet with their Chinese counterparts next week in what will be the first meeting of officials from both countries since President Joe Biden took office in January, according to the State Department.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will be meeting with counterparts Wang Yi and Yang Jiechi in Alaska Anchorage, Alaska next week. The meeting will be held in Alaska to allow Blinken to attend the meeting on his way back from his trip to Japan and South Korea, a statement from the department said. It also allows Chinese officials to give the impression domestically that they are not traveling to the US, the officials said, since a visit to Washington or elsewhere in the US would garner more attention, according to two people familiar with the plans. The meeting comes amid a deep strain in relations between the world's two largest economies. Biden has prioritized economic and military issues, and mentioned potential areas of cooperation, including climate change and nuclear proliferation, while calling China out on a range of issues related to its nefarious use of technology, trade practices and human rights abuses.