San Francisco, California – US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday in San Francisco, California, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in a bid to ease the strained relations between the two countries.
The meeting, which lasted for about two hours, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Biden took office in January. The two presidents discussed a range of global issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, trade, and human rights, according to a White House statement.
Biden said that the meeting with Xi was “frank, open, and productive”, and that they agreed to cooperate on areas of mutual interest, while managing the differences and competition between the two countries. He also said that he raised concerns about China’s actions in the South China Sea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet, and urged Xi to respect the international rules and norms.
Xi said that the meeting with Biden was “candid, constructive, and beneficial”, and that they exchanged views on the bilateral relationship and major international and regional issues. He also said that he hoped that the two countries could respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and avoid confrontation and conflict.
In a tweeter post after the meeting, Biden said that he and Xi took “tangible steps in the right direction”, and reiterated his stance on the US-China relationship.
“Today, President Xi and I took tangible steps in the right direction, and the case I’ve made all along stands: The United States will compete vigorously, and responsibly, with the People’s Republic of China. We will protect our national security interests. We will stand up for our values. And we will work together where it is possible and in our interests. That’s what the world expects of us,” Biden said.
The meeting between Biden and Xi came amid rising tensions between the US and China over a number of issues, such as the Taiwan dispute, military activities in the South China Sea, the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukraine war, and China’s interference in the US elections. The two countries have also imposed sanctions and tariffs on each other, and engaged in a diplomatic and technological rivalry.
The meeting was seen as an attempt to stabilize the relationship and prevent further escalation of the conflicts. The two leaders agreed to maintain regular communication and dialogue, and to work together on global challenges, such as the pandemic and climate change. They also agreed to establish a working group on trade, and to resume the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which was suspended by the Trump administration.
The meeting was welcomed by some experts and analysts, who said that it was a positive step to reduce the risk of miscalculation and misunderstanding between the two countries. However, some also said that the meeting did not resolve the fundamental differences and disputes between the two countries, and that the relationship would remain competitive and adversarial.
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