Sullivan/Yang Hold Call; Discuss Security, Russia, US-China Issues

White House releases a short readout following phone call between senior US and Chinese officials:

• "National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke today with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi by phone. This phone call, which followed their March 14 meeting in Rome, focused on regional security issues and nonproliferation. Mr. Sullivan and Director Yang also discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine and specific issues in U.S.-China relations."
• Direct talks between senior Chinese and US officials have been a rarity in recent months. US President Joe Biden's upcoming visit to Japan and South Korea this weekend likely to ruffle some feathers in Beijing. Especially given new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative, likely to take a more pro-US anti-China stance than his predecessor.