U.S. national security advisor to raise Taiwan on upcoming China trip

Washington, Aug. 24 (CNA) A senior White House official told reporters on Friday that the U.S. will raise concerns about China's "destabilizing" military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan when National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meets China's foreign minister in Beijing next week.

Sullivan will travel to Beijing for meetings with the People's Republic of China's (PRC) foreign minister, Wang Yi, between Aug. 27-29, according to the White House.

"I expect in these conversations next week we're going to raise concerns about the PRC's increased military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan," the official told reporters in a press briefing phone call early on Friday morning (U.S. Eastern Time).

"These activities are destabilizing and risk escalation," the official said, without elaborating.

"And we're going to continue to urge Beijing to engage in meaningful dialogue with Taipei."

Reiterating the Biden administration's commitment to the United States' "One China" policy -- in which the U.S. recognizes the PRC as the sole legal government of China but only acknowledges Beijing's claim that Taiwan is a part of China -- the official said the U.S. "oppose[s] unilateral changes to the status quo from either side."

"We expect cross-strait differences to be resolved peacefully," the official added.

"Everything that we have seen come out of Taipei indicates that the current leadership remains committed to maintaining status quo and peace and stability," the official said, referring to President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) calls for dialogue with Beijing since assuming office in May.

The official also said that "the economic impact of instability in the region would be overwhelming" and there is a "global stake in continued peace and stability and status quo."

Sullivan has met with Wang four times over the last year and a half, according to the White House.

The trip next week comes in advance of the U.S. presidential election in November and amid tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.