Pompeo planning to meet with Chinese officials in Hawaii: reports

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is planning to meet with Chinese officials in Hawaii early this week, sources told CNN and Politico. 

Two U.S. officials and one Western diplomat confirmed to CNN that the secretary of State will meet with Chinese officials as tensions have increased between the two countries. 

Politico first reported Pompeo’s trip, citing two sources with knowledge of the un-finalized plans on Friday.

The secretary of State is expected to discuss a variety of issues with Chinese officials at Hickam Air Force Base, a U.S. official familiar with the trip told CNN. Pompeo will be on the ground in Hawaii for about 24 hours. 

The sources did not tell CNN who specifically Pompeo would meet with and said there were no plans to bring reporters along. Two Western diplomats told the network that the department has kept a tight hold on the plans, leaving diplomats from allied nations curious. 

The State Department and the Chinese embassy did not immediately return requests for comment. 

Tensions have spiked between Washington and Beijing since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. has become the country with the most confirmed cases and deaths after an initial outbreak was first reported in China. It also follows Beijing’s approval of a national security law that has sparked fears China is seeking to clamp down on the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.

Chinese officials in recent days have also criticized the U.S. over the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed, prompting Pompeo to label their efforts as “laughable propaganda.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by calling Pompeo’s remarks “lies,” CNN reported.