Biden objects to China’s ‘aggressive’ approach to Taiwan in three-hour meeting with Xi

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday raised objections to China’s actions toward Taiwan in a three-hour meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The meeting took place in Bali, a day before the G-20 summit is on account of kick off, and was the primary time the 2 superpower leaders had met in person since Biden took office.

“We want to chart the correct course for the China-U.S. relationship,” Xi said on the opening of the meeting in Mandarin, according an official English translation broadcast.

“We want to search out the correct direction for the bilateral relationship going forward and elevate the connection.”

Xi emphasized the necessity to learn from history, using it “as a mirror” to “guide the long run,” in keeping with a release from China’s Foreign Ministry. He said the bilateral relationship isn’t in a situation that is within the interest of the 2 countries’ peoples, and is not what the international community expects.The meeting took place in Bali, a day before the G-20 summit is on account of kick off.

The U.S. and China can manage their differences and stop competition from turning into conflict, Biden said. A White House readout of Biden’s remarks said that the 2 leaders spoke “candidly about their respective priorities and intentions across a variety of issues.”

“President Biden explained that america will proceed to compete vigorously with the PRC [People’s Republic of China], including by investing in sources of strength at home and aligning efforts with allies and partners world wide,” the readout said.

“He reiterated that this competition mustn’t veer into conflict and underscored that america and China must manage the competition responsibly and maintain open lines of communication. The 2 leaders discussed the importance of developing principles that will advance these goals and tasked their teams to debate them further.”

The 2 leaders held a videoconference in Nov. 2021 and, amongst other communication, had a call in late July.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have escalated during the last several years, touching flashpoints starting from Taiwan and the war in Ukraine, to the flexibility of American firms to sell high-end tech to Chinese businesses.

On Taiwan, Biden reportedly told Xi Monday that the U.S.’s “one China policy” had not modified. “The USA opposes any unilateral changes to the established order by either side, and the world has an interest in the upkeep of peace and stability within the Taiwan Strait. He raised U.S. objections to the PRC’s coercive and increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the broader region, and jeopardize global prosperity,” the White House readout said.

Each president was accompanied by nine government officials.

Representatives for the U.S. side included Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.

Accompanying Xi were Ding Xuexiang, considered one of the brand new members of China’s highest circle of power, and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission. Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying also attended.