National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met today with Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China at the White House. Ambassador Rice underscored the U.S. interest in closer coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and China on regional and global issues, including Afghanistan, global health security, the Middle East, and the risks posed by North Korea’s nuclear program. In discussing the preparations for President Obama’s November 10-12 visit to Beijing, Ambassador Rice emphasized that this visit is an opportunity for in-depth discussions about the future potential of the U.S.-China relationship.
President Obama joined the meeting to underscore his commitment to building a stable and constructive U.S.-China relationship, including by strengthening cooperation on shared challenges, such as climate change, the Ebola epidemic, and countering the threat posed by terrorists, particularly ISIL. President Obama affirmed that he is looking forward to his visit to China. The President and Ambassador Rice also noted that the United States is following developments in Hong Kong closely and expressed their hope that differences between Hong Kong authorities and protestors will be addressed peacefully. The United States has consistently supported the open system that is essential to Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity, universal suffrage, and the aspirations of the Hong Kong people.