Highlights of Xi-Biden Meeting in San Francisco
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived for a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden in Woodside, California to discuss an array of bilateral and international issues on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ summit taking place in San Francisco this week.
The extensive meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping took place on Tuesday in California. The leaders of the two countries discussed a wide range of issues: military cooperation, rivalry between the two states, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and much more.
Find out about the key statements of the Chinese and American leaders in our article.
Chinese President that he "firmly believes in the promising future of the bilateral relationship" with the United States and that Washington and Beijing turning their back on each other was not an option.
"For two large countries like China and the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option. It is unrealistic for one side to remodel the other, and conflict and confrontation have unbearable consequences for both sides," Xi told Biden at the beginning of their bilateral meeting in San Francisco.
Moreover, Xi stated that the United States and China could coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation despite the socio-cultural differences between them.
"It is an objective fact that China and the United States are different in history, culture, social system, and development paths. However, as long as they respect each other coexist in peace, and pursue Win-Win cooperation, they will be fully capable of rising above differences and find the right way for the two major countries to get along with each other," Xi added.
US-China Competition
The US President, in his turn, stressed the need "to ensure that competition between the two countries does not veer into conflict".
Biden assured that the US would continue to responsibly compete with China, but would steer away from accidental conflict.
"The United States will continue to compete vigorously with the PRC, but will manage that competition responsibly, so it doesn't veer into conflict or accidental conflict," said Biden.
Furthermore, Xi said that China had no plans to surpass or unseat the United States.
"China has no plans to surpass or unseat the US, nor should the US plan to suppress or contain China," China Central Television quoted Xi as telling the meeting.
Xi added that China was not planning to follow the "old path of colonial looting," as well as to follow the false path of the principle of "a strong country must necessarily be a usurper," and would not export ideology and engage in ideological confrontation with any country.
Thereto, China and the United States should effectively deal with differences and respect "red lines" and principles of each other, as well as refrain from provocations, the Chinese president stated.
"Differences should not be allowed to turn into a chasm between the two countries; remedies for building bridges to move toward each other should be found," Xi told the meeting.
Xi also said that both Beijing and Washington "should understand principles and 'red lines' of each other, refrain from provocations and crossing red lines," adding that it is necessary "to communicate more, engage in a dialogue and consultations, as well as peacefully deal with disagreements and unforeseen events."
Military Communication
China and the United States agreed to resume high-level military-to-military communication, China Central Television reported Thursday.
The media reported that both leaders agreed to resume high-level communication between the two militaries based on equality and respect, as well as to resume working meetings between the Chinese Defense Ministry and the US Department of Defense and meetings of the China-US maritime security consultation mechanism.
"This is critically important - we're resuming military to military contacts, direct contacts," Biden told the press following the meeting.
Taiwan Armament
The presidents also discussed the American armament of Taiwan. Xi stressed that the United States should support the peaceful reunification of China and stop arming Taiwan.
"The US should express its position of not supporting 'Taiwan independence' in concrete actions, stop arming Taiwan, and support the peaceful reunification of China. China will eventually reunify; reunification is inevitable," China Central Television quoted Xi as telling a meeting with US President Joe Biden in San Francisco.
Negative Impact of US Sanctions
The United States constantly imposes export control measures and unilateral sanctions against China that seriously harm Beijing's interests, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Joe Biden.
"The continuous US measures against China, including export control, investment inspections and unilateral sanctions, seriously harm China's legitimate interests," Xi told the meeting.
The Chinese president added that Washington's pressure on China's science and technology area means containing China's high-quality development and depriving the people of China of their right to development.
Beijing hopes the United States lifts unilateral sanctions imposed against China and provides Chinese companies with a non-discriminatory business environment, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during the meeting.
"The development and growth of China have an internal logic and will not be stopped by external forces," Xi told the meeting, expressing hope that "the US will take China's concerns seriously and take measures to lift unilateral sanctions to ensure a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for China's enterprises."
Responsibility of Major Powers and Cooperation
China and the United States should jointly bear the responsibility of major powers and strengthen coordination on international and regional issues, Chinese President Xi Jinping said during the meeting with his American counterpart.
"It is necessary to jointly bear the responsibility of major powers," Xi told the meeting.
The Chinese president said that "solutions to problems that human society faces are not possible without cooperation between major powers."
"China and the US should be an example and strengthen coordination and cooperation on international and regional issues, and provide more public goods to the world," Xi said.
Xi emphasized that initiatives being promoted by both states should be open to each other and can be coordinated and combined to form synergies.
Biden added that China and the United States were restarting cooperation around counternarcotics, among other things.
The American leader also said Washington and Beijing would pursue high level diplomacy and agreed with his Chinese counterpart to enhance direct communication.
"We're going to continue to preserve and pursue high level diplomacy [with] the PRC in both directions. Keep the lines of communication open, including between President Xi [Jinping] and me. He [Xi] and I agreed that each one has to pick up the phone call directly and will be heard immediately," Biden said on Wednesday during a press briefing following the meeting with Xi.
However, when asked if Chinese Leader Xi Jinping is a dictator, Biden said "he is."
Later on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that US President Joe Biden's statement calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a "dictator" is wrong and irresponsible, China opposes political manipulation.
"This statement is extremely wrong and irresponsible, China firmly opposes political manipulation," Mao told reporters.
Artificial Intelligence
US President Joe Biden said the US and China are going to get experts together to discuss the risk and safety issues associated with artificial intelligence.
"We're gonna get our experts together to discuss risk and safety issues associated with artificial intelligence," Biden said after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
18 April 2023, 09:39
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Regarding the ongoing Middle East conflict, Biden said he told Israel that it would be wrong to occupy Gaza, adding that he was not sure how long the conflict in Gaza will last.
Biden also told reporters he is working on ways to help release hostages taken by Hamas.
"I'm working on how I can be helpful in getting the hostages released and have a period of time where there's a pause," Biden said on Wednesday during a press briefing.
Apart from that, president Joe Biden told reporters he discussed with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that the US did not expect any Chinese interference in elections.
Biden said that he made it clear to Xi that Washington did not expect any interference "at all" by China.
No Agreement on the Release of Prisoners
The American president informed that he did not reach an agreement during talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on releasing individuals detained in China.
"I gave them names of individuals we think are being held and hopefully we can get them released as well. No agreement on that," Biden said during a press briefing on Wednesday following his meeting with Xi.
The landmark bilateral meeting was held in an expanded format with the participation of top officials and advisers from both sides at the historic Filola estate in northern California on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ summit taking place in San Francisco this week.
The bilateral meeting ended at 1:35 p.m. PST (21:35 GMT) and lasted nearly two and a half hours, according to the White House pool.
