As a result of the meeting, the United States and China, for example, agreed to reopen high-level communications between the countries’ armed forces.
President of the United States Joe Biden and the President of China Xi Jinping met in the US on Wednesday local time.
The meeting between the leaders of the two superpowers was held near San Francisco at the historic Filoli Mansion and Gardens in Woodside. The meeting lasted four hours, and while the discussions were still ongoing, Biden described them as going well.
The White House said on message service X that during the meeting between Biden and Xi, there was a direct and constructive discussion about international and global issues.
In addition, the presidents exchanged views on those issues where the countries’ opinions differ, the White House said.
Later, Biden told X that genuine progress has been made in easing tensions between China and the United States. Relations between the great powers have been cool in recent years.
After the meeting, the presidents continued to the Apec meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation to be held in San Francisco.
A “hot line” between the USA and China
In the meeting, it was agreed, among other things, that high-level communication relations between the US and Chinese armed forces will be reopened.
The absence of the so-called hotline has been seen as a serious problem in the United States, and according to an official source of the AFP news agency, opening up connections was the country’s goal in the meeting between the presidents.
Security issues were one of the main topics of the meeting.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Xi told Biden that the United States must stop arming Taiwan. Xi added that the United States should support the peaceful “reunification” of China and Taiwan.
Biden, on the other hand, asked China to respect Taiwan’s January presidential election and said he made it clear that China must not interfere in the election.
China considers Taiwan a rebel province that it can take over militarily if necessary. The United States opposes changing Taiwan’s status and has supported the island with, among other things, arms sales.
The leaders also discussed the illegal trade of fentanyl. Xi promised significant measures from China to stop the illegal supply of substances used in fentanyl to the United States. A high-ranking representative of the US administration told about it.
The leaders also agreed to intensify the countries’ cooperation on climate issues and to increase joint climate projects before November’s COP28 climate meeting in Dubai.
Sources: Reuters, AFP