BBG: Blinken-Wang Meeting On The Cards For Munich Security Conference

Bloomberg reporting that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is considering a meeting with top Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi, at the Munich Security Conference which begins on February 17.

• The meeting would be the first formal high-level contact between top diplomats since the "spy balloon" incident compelled the indefinite postponement of Blinken planned trip to Beijing where he was expected to meet Wang, Foreign Minister Qing Gang, and potentially, President Xi Jinping.
• BBG: "A senior administration official, asked about the possibility of a meeting, said the US is constantly assessing its options for diplomacy but has nothing to announce. The National Security Council and State Department declined to comment, as did the Chinese Embassy."
• White House National Security Council Spox John Kirby today denied a Chinese allegation that the US was conducting a balloon surveillance operation similar to that of the Chinese.
• Kirby also revealed that Chinese and US officials have spoken in "private" but military to military channels, seen as crucial to preventing the escalation of tensions, remain closed.
• Kirby will brief the press from the White House today at 13:00 ET 18:00 GMT:https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/