2023-11-15 03:58:26
American President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meet face-to-face on Wednesday near San Francisco, on the sidelines of the Apec summit. The two heads of state want to show that the rivalry between their two countries remains under control.
Published on : Modified :
4 mn
American President Joe Biden summarized in one sentence the challenge of his meeting on Wednesday November 15 with the Chinese president: “ensuring that rivalry does not degenerate into conflict”, while Xi Jinping warned of the consequences ” unbearable” of a confrontation between the two superpowers.
Shaking hands on the steps of a plush residence located in the Californian countryside, the two leaders resumed the thread of a conversation interrupted for more than a year.
Read alsoThe shadow of the “Flying Tigers” hangs over the meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping and Joe Biden had not spoken directly since a long interview on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, since which the bilateral relationship has continued to become strained.
The American president, surrounded by his delegation and seated opposite the Chinese president, on the other side of a long wooden table, called, in a short introductory statement, to manage competition in a “responsible” manner.
Xi Jinping estimated, according to an English translation, that China and the United States might not “turn their backs” on each other.
“The planet is big enough for our two countries to prosper,” he assured, while Washington and Beijing engage in merciless competition in the economic, technological, strategic and military fields.
Joe Biden called for “common efforts” to fight drug trafficking or manage the rise of artificial intelligence.
Each of the two leaders wanted to recall that their relationship began well before the 80-year-old Democrat arrived at the White House.
“Our meetings have always been frank, direct and useful,” assured the American president, adding: “It is crucial that you and I understand each other clearly.”
“I firmly believe in a bright future for the bilateral relationship,” Xi Jinping said.
A calmer tone since the summer
No joint statement is expected following the meeting, but Joe Biden plans to give a press conference.
Ahead of the meeting, the two countries launched a joint climate working group to strengthen coordination on “one of the greatest challenges of our time.”
Relations between China and the United States clearly deteriorated with the flight over American territory by a Chinese balloon at the start of the year. Washington had denounced a espionage operation, which China denied.
Read alsoJohn Kerry visits China to save climate cooperation
In March, Xi Jinping criticized the White House for its “encirclement” strategy, while the United States was strengthening its alliances in the Asia-Pacific and piling up economic sanctions once morest China.
However, the tone softened enough in the summer to allow the organization of the Californian face-to-face.
Restore military communications
Joe Biden, campaigning for a second term, and Xi Jinping, faced with a degraded economic and social situation in China, ultimately have an interest in keeping the rivalry under control throughout a potentially tumultuous 2024, with an election presidential election in the United States and Taiwan.
The status of the island, of which Beijing claims sovereignty and to which Washington provides substantial military assistance, remains a central subject of friction.
Joe Biden said clearly […] that we do not support the independence of Taiwan” and “that we do not want the status quo to change unilaterally, and certainly not by force”, indicated a spokesperson for the White House, John Kirby, reaffirming the deliberately ambiguous position of the United States.
Washington also asks China, an ally of Iran and Russia, not to aggravate major international crises: the conflict between Israel and Hamas as well as the war in Ukraine.
The American president wants above all to restore military communications, known as “mil-mil”, between the two nuclear powers, suspended for more than a year.
A senior US official indicated that the two leaders might decide on “preliminary steps” in this direction on Wednesday.
He also indicated that Washington hoped to seal “progress” in the fight once morest fentanyl trafficking during the meeting.
See alsoFentanyl in Ottawa: the opioid crisis hits the Canadian capital
This powerful synthetic opiate, produced with chemical compounds notably from China, causes tens of thousands of overdoses each year in the United States.
1704701453
#Biden #show #desire #dialogue #facetoface #meeting
