The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Kritenbrink, engaged in discussions with Chinese counterparts in Beijing, covering a wide array of topics including Middle East developments, the South China Sea, Taiwan, and North Korea. The meeting, attended by officials such as U.S. National Security Council senior director for China and Taiwan Sarah Beran and U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, aimed to stabilize the strained relations between the two countries. While details of the talks were limited, the discussions highlighted efforts to manage differences and enhance cooperation while mitigating the risk of misunderstandings.