A Chinese delegation led by senior Chinese diplomats Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi has arrived in Anchorage, Alaska, for a "high-level strategic dialogue" with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Yang is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Wang is Chinese state councilor and foreign minister.

As agreed by both sides, four officials will hold three meetings from March 18 to 19, local time, with the first meeting to be held in the afternoon on March 18, local time.

The upcoming face-to-face meeting between the two countries' top diplomats can be described as the first step in the process of rebuilding U.S.-China relations.

"It is hoped that the U.S. side will work with the Chinese side to follow through on the outcomes of the phone call between the two heads of state on the Chinese New Year's Eve," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. 

Earlier, CGTN interviewed Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai, who spoke about his expectations for the high-level meeting in Alaska, and the recent U.S. sanctions on Chinese officials.

Noting China does not expect one dialogue to resolve all the issues between China and the U.S., Cui voiced hope that the dialogue will be a beginning for the two sides to start a process of honest, constructive, and rational dialogue and communication.

"I hope that both parties will come with sincerity and leave with a better understanding of each other," the ambassador said.

Reuters commented that the dialogue signifies that the world's two largest economies are trying to address a relationship that fell to a "freezing point" during Trump's tenure. 

What's on the agenda?

China said earlier that it hopes that through the dialogue, the two sides can focus on cooperation, manage their differences and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations in accordance with the spirit of the conversation between the two heads of state.

The U.S. State Department has said that issues relating to Hong Kong, Xinjiang and climate change will be among the topics on the list.

Ambassador Cui stressed that China has no room for compromise and concession on issues involving China's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity.

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Noting that China is Alaska's biggest trading partner, CGTN's White House Correspondent Nathan King, who is reporting from Anchorage, said trade relations should also be a hit topic.

Why Anchorage?

Far from the U.S. mainland, Anchorage, the dialogue venue, is Alaska's largest city, with a population of around 400,000.

It is a transit point for some U.S. flights to Asia and was a technical and refueling stopover for Chinese flights to the U.S. before the opening of direct flights between two countries.

According to U.S. media reports, Beijing and Washington share a similar physical distance from Anchorage, a fact that reflects the mutual reciprocity between the U.S. and China. The Alaskan city has also been relatively successful in bringing COVID-19 under control and boasts a high vaccination rate.

Anchorage also has a strong connection with China. In April 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a technical stopover in Anchorage and met with then-Alaska Governor Bill Walker.

During the meeting, Xi said, "Regional cooperation is one of the most dynamic components of the U.S.-China ties. The State of Alaska and the city of Anchorage are participants and witnesses in the development of the China-U.S. relations."

Harbin, capital of China's Heilongjiang Province, is Anchorage's sister city. The cities have a history of friendly relations for more than 30 years.