(Woodside) “Ensuring that rivalry does not degenerate into conflict”: Joe Biden on Wednesday summarized the entire issue of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who warned of the “unbearable” consequences of a confrontation between the two superpowers.
By shaking hands on the steps of a plush residence located in the Californian countryside, the two leaders resumed the thread of a conversation interrupted for more than a year.
Xi Jinping and Joe Biden had not spoken directly since a long interview on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, since which the bilateral relationship has continued to become strained.
The American president, surrounded by his delegation and seated opposite the Chinese president around a long wooden table, called, in a short introductory statement, to manage competition in a “responsible” manner. »
Xi Jinping estimated, according to an English translation, that China and the United States could not “turn their backs” on each other.
“The planet is big enough for our two countries to prosper,” he assured, while Washington and Beijing engage in merciless economic, technological, strategic and military competition.
PHOTO BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The Chinese and American delegations during the meeting between the two heads of state.
Joe Biden called for “common efforts” to fight drug trafficking or manage the rise of artificial intelligence.
Each of the two men wanted to recall that their relationship began well before the 80-year-old Democrat arrived at the White House.
“Our meetings have always been frank, direct and useful,” assured the American president, adding: “it is crucial that you and I understand each other clearly. »
“Promising”
“I firmly believe in a bright future for the bilateral relationship,” Xi Jinping said.
No joint statement is expected following the meeting, but Joe Biden plans to give a press conference.
Ahead of the meeting, the two countries launched a joint climate working group to strengthen coordination on “one of the greatest challenges of our time.”
The relationship between China and the United States frankly turned sour with the flight over American territory by a Chinese balloon at the start of the year. Washington denounced a spying operation, which China denied.
In March, Xi Jinping denounced an American strategy of “encirclement”, while the United States strengthened its alliances in the Asia-Pacific and piled economic sanctions on China.
However, the tone softened enough in the summer to allow the organization of the Californian face-to-face.
Joe Biden, campaigning for a second term, and Xi Jinping, faced with a degraded economic and social situation in China, have a fundamental interest in ensuring that the rivalry remains under control throughout a potentially tumultuous 2024, with an election presidential election in the United States and Taiwan.
The status of the island, of which Beijing claims sovereignty and to which Washington provides substantial military assistance, remains a central subject of friction.
Taiwan
Joe Biden “will clearly say […] that we do not support the independence of Taiwan” and “that we do not want the status quo to change unilaterally, and certainly not by force”, indicated a spokesperson for the White House, John Kirby, reaffirming the deliberately ambiguous position of the United States.
Washington also asks China, an ally of Iran and Russia, not to aggravate major international crises: the conflict between Israel and Hamas as well as the war in Ukraine.
The American president wants above all to restore military communications, known as “mil-mil”, between the two nuclear powers, suspended for more than a year.
A senior US official indicated that the two leaders could decide on “preliminary steps” in this direction on Wednesday.
He also indicated that Washington hoped to seal “progress” in the fight against fentanyl trafficking during the meeting.
This powerful synthetic opiate produced with chemical compounds originating in particular from China causes tens of thousands of overdoses each year in the United States.