The president of USA, Joe Bidengreeted the “productive” meeting he held with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this Wednesday in California, in which both leaders agreed to reestablish military communications in a bid to reduce tensions.
The leaders of the two superpowers began their first meeting in a year with a handshake in the Filoli Garden, and ended the meeting with a walk through the lush green areas of this property 40 kilometers from San Francisco.
“I just concluded several hours of meetings with President Xi and I believe they were some of the most constructive and productive discussions we have had”Biden said in a solo press conference at the end of the meeting, in which, when consulted by a journalist, he said that he still considers Xi a “dictator”.
“It’s a term we used before. He [Xi] “He is a dictator in the sense that he is a guy who runs a communist country, which is based on a completely different form of government than ours,” said.
Beijing had cut military communications with Washington after the then speaker of the US lower house of Congress, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan in 2022. The decision to restore them was a “crucial importance”Biden said.
Although disagreement remained on issues such as Taiwan, Biden said that Xi was “straight” with him during the extensive meeting. “Misunderstandings on both sides can cause real problems with a country like China”, he added. “And I think we are making real progress.”
The leaders also reached an agreement in the fight against fentanyl: China agreed to take measures to reduce the production of ingredients for the synthetic opioid that is at the center of a health crisis in the United States, reported high-level officials from both countries.
Later, in a meeting with businessmen, Xi expressed his “empathy” with the victims of the drug that has caused an epidemic in the United States.
“I want to tell everyone that China deeply empathizes with the American people, especially the young, for the suffering that fentanyl has caused them.”he indicated.
“Will not wage war”
The presidents have not seen each other since November 2022, and relations cooled after the United States shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in February.
Since then, diplomats from Beijing and Washington have worked to bring the two leaders face to face. The four hours of talks between Biden and Xi passed “good”according to Biden.
Xi held a meeting with businessmen hours later and stated that China “it does not seek spheres of influence and will not wage a hot or cold war against any country”.
“I believe that once opened, the door of relations between China and the United States will not be closed again,” said.
“If one side sees the other as its main competitor, its biggest geopolitical challenge, and a constant threat, this can only lead to wrong decision-making, wrong actions and undesirable results,” added the president who spoke in Mandarin.
“China is ready to be a partner and friend of the United States”he insisted.
“Joint leadership”
Earlier, Biden began the meeting between the two leaders by stating that both nations have to ensure that “competition does not turn into conflict”.
“We have known each other for a long time. “We have not always agreed (…) but our meetings have always been frank and direct,” Biden commented.
Is “It is essential that we truly understand each other.” “Planet Earth is big enough for both countries to succeed”responded his Chinese counterpart through translation.
After the meeting, and a lunch in which ricotta ravioli with herbs and tarragon chicken with golden rice pilaf were served, Biden reacted on X (formerly Twitter).
“I value the conversation I had with President Xi (…) There are global challenges that demand our joint leadership.”
“Stop arming Taiwan”
But the rhetoric does not seem to have changed on the Taiwan issue. China’s foreign ministry reported that Xi asked Biden to “stop arming Taiwan and support the peaceful reunification of China. “China will achieve reunification and this is unstoppable.”
Biden, for his part, asked his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to “respect the electoral process in Taiwan,” the autonomous island with a democratic government whose sovereignty Beijing claims.
The meeting between Biden and Xi occurred within the framework of the APEC summit, which brings together the leaders of the 21 economies of the Pacific bloc and takes place until Friday in San Francisco.
Source: AFP.
Source: Gestion
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