Biden and Xi Jinping Meet Again After 366 Days: "No Conflicts Between the Two Countries" (Summary)

"Competition must not escalate into conflict." "For large countries like China and the United States, turning their backs on each other is not an option." U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, meeting face-to-face for the first time in about a year, agreed that the increasingly intense U.S.-China competition must not spiral into confrontation.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

President Biden met with President Xi on the 15th (local time) in Woodside near San Francisco, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting was held. It was exactly 366 days since their first summit on November 14 last year in Bali, Indonesia, and their second face-to-face meeting since each took office. This is President Xi's first visit to the United States in about six years, since the Donald Trump administration in 2017.

In his opening remarks, President Biden mentioned the long-standing relationship between the two leaders, which goes back more than ten years, saying, "We have known each other for a long time. We have not agreed on every issue, but our meetings have always been frank, direct, and useful." He then emphasized the importance of this face-to-face meeting, stating, "I value our dialogue. I believe it is most important for leaders to understand each other clearly, without misunderstandings or miscommunication."

President Biden stressed, "We must ensure that (the competition between our two countries) does not escalate into conflict, that it is managed responsibly, and that we work together on matters we believe serve our interests." Specifically, he pointed out that the world faces significant challenges ranging from climate change and drug enforcement to artificial intelligence (AI), adding, "Our joint efforts are necessary."

President Xi said, "The China-U.S. relationship, the most important bilateral relationship in the world, must be understood and conceived within the broader context of accelerating global transformation," and added, "It should develop in a way that benefits the peoples of both countries and fulfills our responsibilities to human progress." He acknowledged, "The China-U.S. relationship has never been a smooth voyage over the past 50 years. There have always been various issues," but evaluated that "despite ups and downs, it has continued to move forward."

Furthermore, he warned, "For large countries like China and the United States, turning their backs on each other is not an option," cautioning that conflict between the two would lead to unbearable consequences. While noting that "China and the United States have different histories, cultures, social systems, and development paths," he added, "as long as we respect each other and pursue win-win cooperation, we can overcome differences and find the right path for the two countries to coexist well."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

This meeting took place amid the overt power struggle between the two countries and the turbulent international situation caused by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Considering the years-long strategic competition and accumulated conflicts, there is little expectation that this summit will provide a breakthrough for improving bilateral relations. One year ago, at the Bali summit in Indonesia, the two leaders agreed on the so-called "five no's" (5불), pledging not to pursue a new Cold War or regime change in China, but relations have since worsened due to U.S. export controls on China and the Chinese surveillance balloon incident, among others.

However, the general assessment is that both the United States, facing a presidential election in November next year, and China, whose economic growth has slowed since the pandemic, urgently need to stabilize bilateral relations at this point to prevent further escalation of conflict. The New York Times (NYT) reported, "President Biden's goal is simple: to find a way to prevent the increasingly fierce U.S.-China competition from turning into conflict." The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) stated, "There is little expectation of substantive change," but also noted, "This face-to-face meeting between President Biden and President Xi will be the last before the U.S. election campaign. The urgency to stabilize relations has increased."

However, some differences in perspective were also confirmed in the opening remarks of the two leaders. President Xi's comment that "it is unrealistic for one side to remodel the other" revealed China's explicit dissatisfaction. While President Biden emphasized China's role and responsibility as a major power (G2) in global issues such as climate change and drug enforcement, President Xi placed emphasis on mutual respect and coexistence.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, included 12 aides, more than at the Bali summit last year. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sat beside President Biden, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi was seated next to President Xi. Key agenda items included bilateral issues, the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukraine war, and North Korea-Russia military cooperation. Agreements are also expected on resuming U.S.-China military dialogue, which was severed after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year, and on cracking down on fentanyl drug trafficking. Earlier, John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council, confirmed in a briefing that President Biden would also raise human rights issues in Xinjiang and Hong Kong during the meeting. Both sides are expected to release a joint statement on the outcome of the summit immediately afterward. President Biden will also hold a press conference locally.

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