The U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, recently concluded a three-day visit to Beijing, where he engaged in extensive discussions with a senior Chinese military leader. The meeting with General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, took place on Thursday and aimed to enhance communication between the two superpowers.

During the meeting, Sullivan emphasized key topics such as stability in the Taiwan Strait, U.S. commitments to free navigation in the South China Sea, China’s support for Russia’s defense industry, and efforts towards achieving a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. According to a statement from the White House, Zhang stressed that the status of the self-governing island of Taiwan represents “the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations.” He further pointed out that Taiwan’s independence and “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait are “incompatible.” Zhang demanded that the U.S. cease military cooperation with Taiwan, stop arming the island, and refrain from spreading false narratives about Taiwan.

Prior to their discussions, Zhang praised the U.S. for the value it places on “military security and our military-to-military relationship.” Sullivan acknowledged this, noting that such exchanges are rare. The two officials agreed to facilitate more direct military conversations between commanders in the future.

Sullivan’s meeting with Zhang followed a discussion with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where they sought to ease tensions between their countries in light of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections on November 5. During their conversation, they talked about the possibility of soon holding talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, covering a broad range of topics, including trade, the Middle East, and Ukraine.

According to Chinese state media, Wang warned that the U.S. must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He urged Sullivan not to support or tolerate actions by the Philippines, which he described as a violation.

These efforts to enhance cooperation between the two countries come after China suspended communication between their militaries following U.S. lawmaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022. Negotiations were gradually resumed more than a year later, following a meeting between Xi and Biden at a summit near San Francisco in November of last year.