Biden Plans Phone Talks with Xi Jinping... Possible as Early as Next Month

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Reports have emerged that a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is being arranged.

Bloomberg News cited sources on the 16th (local time) reporting that a call between the two leaders could take place as early as July. However, an in-person meeting is expected to be possible only after the Party Congress in the second half of the year, which will determine whether President Xi will serve a third term.

Earlier, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, met in Luxembourg on the 13th, leading to analysis that the call between the two leaders was coordinated.

Since taking office in January last year, President Biden has had contact with President Xi through four video conferences or phone calls. However, an in-person meeting has not yet taken place.

If the call between the two leaders is realized, issues such as the possibility of additional nuclear tests by North Korea, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the Taiwan issue are expected to be discussed.

So far, the U.S. has urged China to actively engage in the denuclearization of North Korea. On the 26th of last month, under U.S. leadership, an additional resolution on North Korea was proposed at the United Nations Security Council, but it was blocked by China and Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.