NEW DELHI: President Joe Biden and the President of China Xi Jinping held a landmark three-hour meeting on Monday in their first face-to-face meeting since the president of the United States took office nearly two years ago. Both leaders are in Bali, Indonesia, to attend the G20 summit.
Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake before they sat down for formal negotiations. Discussions revolved around “managing” differences between the superpowers as they vie for global influence amid rising economic and security tensions.
The two leaders spoke candidly about their respective priorities and intentions on a range of issues including Taiwan, the Ukraine-Russia war, the nuclear threat, and North Korea. “Biden and Xi have reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be waged and can never be won, and stressed their opposition to the use or threat of nuclear weapons. threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” the report said. The White House speak.
Mutual cooperation
“As leaders of our two nations, in my view, we share the responsibility to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition becomes anything close to conflict and find ways to work together on pressing global issues. that requires our mutual cooperation,” Biden said to open the meeting.
Xi called on Biden to “draw the right path” and “enhance relations” between China and the US. He said he was willing to “have a frank and in-depth exchange of views” with Biden.
“We have very little misunderstanding with China… We just need to figure out where the red lines are and… what’s most important to each of us over the next two years,” Biden said.
Before the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning China is committed to peaceful coexistence but will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
“It is important for the United States to work with China to properly manage differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid misunderstandings and miscalculation, and turn China-US relations back into place,” she said. back in the right direction of healthy and stable development”.
Taiwan and other hot spots
As president, Biden has repeatedly blamed China for human rights abuses against China Uighurs and other ethnic minorities, suppression of democracy activists in Hong Kong, forced trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan, and differences over Russia’s prosecution of the war against Ukraine.
Chinese officials have largely refrained from openly criticizing Russia’s war, though Beijing has avoided direct assistance, such as supplying weapons.
Taiwan has emerged as one of the most contentious issues between Washington and Beijing. Several times during his presidency, Biden has said that the United States would defend the island – which China has aimed for eventual reunification – in the event of a Beijing-led invasion.
But administration officials have always insisted that the US “One China” policy has not changed. That policy recognizes the government in Beijing while allowing for informal ties and defense ties with Taipei, and its “strategic ambiguity” posture as to whether it will respond militarily. if the island is attacked or not.
Tension flared higher when House Loudspeaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August, prompting China to retaliate with military exercises and firing ballistic missiles into nearby waters.
The two men held five phone or video calls during Biden’s presidency.
(With input from agencies)
Xi and Biden greeted each other with a handshake before they sat down for formal negotiations. Discussions revolved around “managing” differences between the superpowers as they vie for global influence amid rising economic and security tensions.
The two leaders spoke candidly about their respective priorities and intentions on a range of issues including Taiwan, the Ukraine-Russia war, the nuclear threat, and North Korea. “Biden and Xi have reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be waged and can never be won, and stressed their opposition to the use or threat of nuclear weapons. threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” the report said. The White House speak.
Mutual cooperation
“As leaders of our two nations, in my view, we share the responsibility to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition becomes anything close to conflict and find ways to work together on pressing global issues. that requires our mutual cooperation,” Biden said to open the meeting.
Xi called on Biden to “draw the right path” and “enhance relations” between China and the US. He said he was willing to “have a frank and in-depth exchange of views” with Biden.
“We have very little misunderstanding with China… We just need to figure out where the red lines are and… what’s most important to each of us over the next two years,” Biden said.
Before the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning China is committed to peaceful coexistence but will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
“It is important for the United States to work with China to properly manage differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid misunderstandings and miscalculation, and turn China-US relations back into place,” she said. back in the right direction of healthy and stable development”.
Taiwan and other hot spots
As president, Biden has repeatedly blamed China for human rights abuses against China Uighurs and other ethnic minorities, suppression of democracy activists in Hong Kong, forced trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan, and differences over Russia’s prosecution of the war against Ukraine.
Chinese officials have largely refrained from openly criticizing Russia’s war, though Beijing has avoided direct assistance, such as supplying weapons.
Taiwan has emerged as one of the most contentious issues between Washington and Beijing. Several times during his presidency, Biden has said that the United States would defend the island – which China has aimed for eventual reunification – in the event of a Beijing-led invasion.
But administration officials have always insisted that the US “One China” policy has not changed. That policy recognizes the government in Beijing while allowing for informal ties and defense ties with Taipei, and its “strategic ambiguity” posture as to whether it will respond militarily. if the island is attacked or not.
Tension flared higher when House Loudspeaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August, prompting China to retaliate with military exercises and firing ballistic missiles into nearby waters.
The two men held five phone or video calls during Biden’s presidency.
(With input from agencies)
