President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met for the first time in a year to discuss and defuse tensions between the two nations. The meeting took place at the Filoli estate in Woodside, California, before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit.
The main goal of this meeting was to reduce friction in the relationship between the United States and China. However, experts predict that major progress on their differences may not be achieved immediately. The leaders discussed various critical issues such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Israel-Hamas conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea, and human rights.
Both President Biden and Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday to attend the APEC summit. The event brought together other world leaders and hundreds of CEOs. For Xi, this summit was an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to handle relations between the two largest economies in the world.
Despite efforts to manage protests, demonstrators both in favor of and against China’s ruling Communist Party lined the route from the airport to the conference site. The choice of the Filoli estate as the venue for this bilateral summit provided security, serenity, and remoteness.
President Biden hopes that his personal relationship with Xi Jinping can salvage ties between the two countries. Concrete steps expected from this meeting include restoring staff-level communication on various issues such as military-to-military communications, managing the flow of fentanyl, regulating artificial intelligence growth, and addressing trade and climate concerns.
During the meeting, President Biden is expected to address Iran’s actions, alleged election interference by China, and other important topics. Both countries have recently supported a new renewable energy target and pledged to reduce methane and plastic pollution.
While Biden’s economy has performed better than expected, he is seeking a second term in office. On the other hand, Xi Jinping has tightened his control over policy, media, and the military, but economic challenges have hindered China’s growth trajectory.
Beijing is expected to challenge Washington in the near future as it pursues its ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. In response, President Biden will reaffirm U.S. commitments in the Indo-Pacific and address China’s actions in international dispute areas, including the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
The outcome of this highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Xi remains uncertain, but it is hoped that it will pave the way for enhanced cooperation and reduced tensions between the United States and China.
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