US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on November 15, 2023, for their first in-person summit since Biden took office.
The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, was highly anticipated, as the US and China are the world’s two largest economies and have a complex and often adversarial relationship.
The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including the war in Ukraine, Taiwan, trade, climate change, and human rights.
The talks were largely described as “productive” and “constructive,” but no major breakthroughs were announced.
On the issue of Ukraine, Biden reiterated the US’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Xi Jinping called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The two leaders also discussed Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as its own. Biden reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the “One China” policy, while Xi Jinping warned against any moves towards Taiwan independence.
On trade, the two leaders agreed to work together to reduce tensions and promote economic growth. They also discussed climate change, an issue on which the US and China have cooperated in the past.
On human rights, Biden raised concerns about China’s record on human rights, including the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province. Xi Jinping defended China’s human rights record and accused the US of hypocrisy.
Overall, the Biden-Xi summit was seen as a positive step in easing tensions between the US and China. However, the two countries remain deeply divided on a number of issues, and it is unclear whether the summit will have any lasting impact on their relationship.
Here are some additional key points from the summit:
The two leaders agreed to establish a new mechanism for high-level communication between the US and China.
They also agreed to work together to address issues such as cybersecurity and nuclear nonproliferation.
The summit was seen as a way to reset the US-China relationship after a period of heightened tensions.
It remains to be seen whether the Biden-Xi summit will lead to a more stable and productive relationship between the US and China.
However, the summit was a positive step in the right direction, and it is hoped that it will pave the way for further cooperation between the two countries.