Taiwan, economy, North Korea or war in Ukraine: Joe Biden and Xi Jinping spoke Monday for some three hours for an interview, described as “sincere” by the White House, aimed at ironing out the many subjects of dissension between the two rival powers.
The leaders of the two rival powers spoke for the first time since President Biden entered the White House, on the eve of the G20 summit which is being held Tuesday and Wednesday on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Over the past three years, the rivalry between the world’s two largest economies has intensified as China has grown in power and assertiveness, challenging US leadership and the geopolitical game since the end of World War II.
Fueling tensions, Beijing refuses to condemn the invasion of Ukraine launched in February by Russia, but the White House claimed to have obtained Chinese assurances.
“President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won, and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. “, she has in a press release.
Joe Biden also urged Xi to encourage North Korea to be “responsible”.
Bilaterally, the US president voiced his “concerns” about respect for human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong and warned that the US “will continue to compete vigorously” with China, but considered that it was necessary “to leave the channels of communication open”, specified the same source. It was agreed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit China soon.
Monday’s meeting on the sidelines of the G20 smacks of the Cold War and the White House spoke of the need to establish the “red lines” of the two countries to have “guardrails” and avoid tipping into conflict , according to a White House official.
The two leaders have spoken by phone or video five times since Joe Biden entered the White House, but never face-to-face, and they have known each other since 2017.
It is the Chinese president’s second trip abroad since the start of the pandemic, following a visit to Central Asia in September.
China said on Monday it hoped the talks would put bilateral ties back “on track”.
In addition to China’s refusal to condemn the Russian invasion, Washington and Beijing are at loggerheads over issues ranging from trade to human rights in China’s Xinjiang region to the status of Taiwan.
Joe Biden notably wants to push Beijing to use its influence to moderate North Korea, which has just launched a record series of missile launches, seeming to be preparing to lead the 7e nuclear test in its history.
But Xi Jinping will probably not be willing to show understanding and this meeting should set the tone for the G20 summit on Tuesday and Wednesday. If Ukraine is not officially on the agenda, the war started by Russia and its consequences on the food and energy markets will be in the background of all the talks.
Poutine conspicuously absent
The Russian president, who is represented by his head of diplomacy Sergei Lavrov, will be absent from the meeting, which is being held as the Russian army is retreating in southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be able to plead his case directly, speaking by videoconference.
At a minimum, Joe Biden and his allies want to get a clear message from the summit to Vladimir Putin that a nuclear conflict is unacceptable. Despite Monday’s declarations, any common text is likely to be blocked by Russian opposition and Beijing’s refusal to deviate from the Russian position or appear to concede ground to Washington.
Host of the summit, Indonesia has already warned that one should not necessarily expect the traditional final joint communiqué that concludes this kind of meeting.
The Indonesian president called for the “flexibility” of the Europeans and the G7 to obtain an agreement.
Russia is expected to be under pressure to extend a deal allowing the export of grain and fertilizer through Black Sea ports, long blocked by war in Ukraine, which expires on November 19.