The long-awaited online confrontation, via Zoom, between US president Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping has begun. Biden opened the summit from the White House and, connected by videoconference with Xi, made it clear that his goal is to ensure that competition between the two powers does not degenerate into conflict, “intentional or not”. For Biden, the US and China are called upon to develop those “guardrails” in which to channel their relations. Xi, for his part, cordially greeted the US president calling him an “old friend” and replied noting that the two countries must “improve their communication and cooperation” and heralded a “straightforward” dialogue.
US-China, virtual face to face between Biden and Xi tonight: what the two leaders want
by Gianluca Modolo, Anna Lombardi
After the greetings and introductory statements, the two leaders will talk to each other for a few hours knowing full well that they have months of high tension on the Washington-Beijing line behind them. Biden has repeatedly criticized China on the violated human rights of the Uyghur minority in the north-west of the country, under the direction of Beijing in the suppression of the democratic protest in Hong Kong, for the military aggression of Taiwan. Accusations rejected by the Beijing regime together with the denunciation of US interference in internal issues within China. All this against the backdrop of commercial competition on international markets.
The US side of the Zoom meeting, alongside the president, is Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. On the Chinese side, alongside President Xi, there are Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Yang Jiechi, director of the Communist Party’s Foreign Affairs Committee, the highest Chinese diplomat, Xi’s adviser, Ding Xuexieg, and Deputy Prime Minister Liu He who is also an economic advisor to Xi, the latter three all members of the Politburo.