I can't quite figure out what the purpose of the Wendy Sherman meeting is. What is there to negotiate, given how locked in each side is politically speaking?

Is it just a way to reduce tensions in front of moves that may be seen as provocative by Beijing (additional sanctions, visits to TW, etc)? I can't see how much domestic political benefit can be milked from a meeting in China, so it must be more aimed at China than domestic audiences.

There was speculation that it could be groundwork to a meeting between Biden and Xi, but then I have the same question for a meeting between Xi and Biden. What would be the point? Would it be a fluff meeting where they politely agree to disagree, just to lower the temperature?