US President Joe Biden is reported to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping today, Monday (14/11), on the G20 Bali sidelines event. This is the first face-to-face meeting, since Biden took office, with Xi Jinping
This meeting will attract the eyes of the world because relations between the two countries are at their lowest level in decades.
Some things will be discussed. Starting from US concerns over Taiwan, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
The meeting was also attended when Biden won a political victory in neleri, where his Democratic party still controlled the US Senate in the by-election. Meanwhile, Xi secured a third presidential term.
“I know Xi Jinping, I spent more time with him than any other world leader,” Biden told reporters in Cambodia Sunday after appearing at the ASEAN summit.
“I always have direct discussions with him. There has never been a miscalculation about… where each of us stands,” he stressed.
Biden himself has previously made it clear he is not willing to make any fundamental concessions when he meets Xi. However, he wanted the two leaders to set their “red lines” and resolve the conflict areas.
Biden and Xi have previously held five phone calls and video calls since Biden became president in January 2021. They last met in person during the administration of Barack Obama, when Biden was vice president.
US relations with China are at their lowest point, especially since the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August to Taiwan. The democratic island claims to be self-governing but is not recognized by Beijing.
“This face-to-face meeting provides an opportunity to defuse tensions and find ways to manage competition,” said an Asia expert at the German Marshall Fund, Bonnie Glaser.