Washington shows it can talk the talk, but it also needs to really walk the walk

There is no doubt about the importance of the higher-level engagement between Beijing and Washington following US Ambassador Nicolas Burns' meetings with Chinese foreign and commerce ministers on May 8 and May 11, respectively.

Previously unannounced, the meeting between Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Vienna on Wednesday and Thursday is a further inspiring sign of the shared desire to continue what both sides clearly found to be constructive communication.

Just as the Vienna talks indicated, rather than the normalization of ties, which is obviously out of the question for the foreseeable future, the outstanding priority now is managing relations to avoid a crisis.