U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel commenced a state visit to Beijing on Sunday, Sept. 6. Russel, who would depart from the country on Tuesday, is expected to hold a series of meetings with top Chinese statesmen "to discuss a range of issues of importance to the bilateral relationship" between both countries.

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After arriving in Beijing on Saturday, Russel met with China's Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin. He discussed several issues with Liu, including how to ensure peaceful cooperation in the Asia Pacific region.

On Monday, Russel is expected to meet with top Chinese official and exchange views on a number of issues, including President Xi Jinping's impending visit to Washington this month.

One of the hot topics that Russel is likely to discuss with Chinese officials is the repeated alleged China-backed cyberattacks against American companies and government agencies. Although China has officially denied the allegations, U.S. officials continue to pelt their accusations. Recently, U.S. officials revealed anonymously that Washington is considering sanctions against Chinese and Russian companies and individuals for their involvement in cyberattacks against U.S.  targets.

Another pressing issue that Russel is likely to table during his meeting with Chinese officials is the tension over China's activities in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Experts have warned that the territorial conflict could severely affect the positive economic outlook that the region enjoys.

The Philippines has already requested military assistance from the U.S. to strengthen its position in the region. Over the weekend, the spokesman for the Philippines Department of Defense Peter Paul Galvez called on China to "go beyond deceitful rhetoric" and resolve the territorial dispute before it permanently damages ties in the region.

"We call on China's government to show its sincerity by, at the least, stopping all ongoing construction and militarization activities and to refrain from restricting freedom of flight and navigation [in the disputed area]," he said. "Their activities, which need to be stopped immediately, have [caused] and are causing destruction of marine ecosystems and depleting fish stock/global commons, restricting navigation and flight and placing global trade in a worried state."

Russel had been visiting Burma before heading to China. After leaving the country, he is expected to travel to Mongolia for official meetings.

TagsDaniel Russel China, Daniel Russel South China Sea, China U.S. Cyber Attacks