USA. President Biden: We must ensure that competition with China does not turn into conflict

The meeting of the US president began on Wednesday at the Filoli estate near San Francisco Joe Biden and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. During a brief welcome ceremony, the two leaders shook hands and entered the historic villa in San Mateo County.

They sat down for talks as an extended delegation. According to the White House’s announcement, the main goal of the meeting is to stabilize relations and normalize contacts as well as “responsibly manage the rivalry” between the superpowers.

– We must ensure that competition does not turn into conflict. We also need to manage competition responsibly, eh United States what they want and what they’re going to do,” Biden said.

The American president emphasized that, in addition to rivalry, both powers have an “obligation to their nations to cooperate on global challenges such as climate change, the fight against drugs and artificial intelligence.” Biden mentioned that his conversations with Xi – whom he has known for 12 years – have always been sincere and he has never doubted the Chinese leader’s sincerity.

Xi replied that he still remembered their first meeting, when he was vice president of the People’s Republic of China and Biden was vice president, and “thinks about him often.” He added that although the US and China are dramatically different and their relationship has never been smooth, then “turning our backs on each other is not an option.”

– Conflict and confrontation would have intolerable consequences for both sides, he said. He noted that he “still believes that great power competition is not the prevailing trend of today and cannot solve the problems facing China, the United States and the entire world.”

– Planet Earth is large enough for both countries to succeed, and the success of one is an opportunity for the other – he emphasized.

According to the White House, during the meeting, Biden will make it clear that there will be no changes in US policy. The American position will not change, both in terms of the “one China policy” and support for Taiwan’s independence, but also in terms of further strengthening the island’s defense and opposition to changing the status quo.

The US president is also expected to express American “concerns” about the strengthening relations between Russia and China in the context war in Ukraine.

The meeting in California is the seventh time the two leaders have spoken since the start of the Biden administration, but only the second time they have met face-to-face. This is also President Xi’s first visit to the US since April 2017.

The leaders’ previous talks took place on the sidelines last November G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. In addition, two virtual meetings (teleconferences) were held, in May 2022 and November 2021. Each time they lasted several hours.