TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink is heading to China on April 14-16, the U.S. Department of State confirmed on Sunday (April 14).

Kritenbrink will be accompanied by National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran, the State Department said in a statement. The two are scheduled to meet with Chinese government officials “as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and to responsibly manage competition."

Kritenbrink’s visit comes just three days after the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines reiterated in a joint statement their support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and that their positions on Taiwan have not changed. Peace is “an indispensable element of global security and prosperity,” the three nations said. They also called for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues. 

China and the U.S. have been gradually resuming normal communications after years of frayed relations. On March 27, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell emphasized the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait in a phone call with Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu (馬朝旭).

The call was part of efforts to maintain open lines of communication between the U.S. and China and prevent escalation of tensions, the State Department said. The two officials also discussed issues of mutual concern and regional and global matters.