Highlights:
- US-China reach a consensus at a Biden-Jinping meeting
- Intergovernmental talks on artificial intelligence pledged
- Xi, Biden agree to establish a presidential hotline
- China severed military communications in August 2022
- Biden assures not to support Taiwan independence
The United States and China have agreed to resume high-level military communications that China severed in August 2022 protesting the Taiwan policy adopted by the US.
The two countries reached a consensus during a meeting of US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (November 15). Issues that have strained US-Chinese relations were discussed in the meeting on the side-lines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, California.
In the meeting, both sides also agreed to initiate intergovernmental talks on artificial intelligence, step up counter-narcotics cooperation and tackle the climate crisis jointly.
“We’re back to direct, open, clear communications,” Biden said at a press conference after the talks.
The two presidents also agreed to create a presidential hotline. “He and I agreed that each one of us can pick up the phone, call directly and we’ll be heard immediately,” Biden said.
Biden and Xi attended the talks with an aim to smooth over a rocky period in relations that worsened after a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been transiting across the USA for several days in February last.
Prior to that, military communications with the US were suspended by China last year in protest of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August.
Power competition will not solve global problems: Xi Jinping
During the meeting, the Chinese president told his US counterpart that the world is undergoing major changes in the 21st century. China and the US have two choices in this changing scenario: one is to join hands to strengthen unity and cooperation which will promote world security and prosperity. The other is to maintain an adamant mindset which will pave the way to turmoil and division, reports the Chinese daily Global Times.
These two choices lead to two opposite directions and the future of humanity and the planet will be determined by the choice the US and China make. China-US relations should be considered and planned against this grand backdrop, he said.
Observing that China and the US cannot turn back against each other as the confrontation would bring forth dire consequences for both countries, Xi said, “Great power competition cannot solve the ongoing global problems. This planet is big enough for both China and the US. The success of each is an opportunity for the other.”
Taiwan most sensitive issue in China-US relations
Before the Wednesday meeting, the two presidents last met in Bali in Indonesia over a year ago. At the last year’s meeting, the US president said that the US doesn’t want a new Cold War. He assured that the US would not oppose China by strengthening alliances and would not support Taiwan’s independence.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Xi said, “Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations.”
Observing that the US should turn its words into concrete actions, he demanded the US to stop arming Taiwan and support the peaceful reunification of China.
Expressing deep concern regarding the continuous implementation of export control measures, the Chinese president mentioned that unilateral sanctions have inflicted significant harm on China’s legitimate interests. “China’s economic growth is guided by internal dynamics that are impervious to external pressures. China hopes that the US will lift unilateral sanctions, and establish an environment that is fair, just, and free of discrimination for Chinese enterprises,” Xi added.
