Joe Biden and Xi Jinping exchange a handshake at the APEC Summit. Photo courtesy of the Office of the President of the United States.
President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in San Francisco on Nov. 15 against a backdrop of high tensions, a years-long trade war and unfriendly rhetoric between the two nations.
The Associated Press reported that China and the U.S. agreed to restore direct military-to-military communications at the meeting.
The relationship between the U.S. and China has been unstable recently – reaching a new low when the Chinese government suspended military-to-military communications with the U.S. in August of last year. According to the Associated Press, the move was in retaliation for then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
Other agreements between the two nations included a curb of the production and trafficking of fentanyl, opening a dialogue about AI and taking more bilateral action against climate change.
According to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, China is a leading producer of the fentanyl that eventually makes its way to the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that fentanyl was “principally” responsible for more than two thirds of US overdose deaths in 2022.
According to a White House statement, “[Xi and Biden] held a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral and global issues including areas of potential cooperation and exchanged views on areas of difference.”
Biden did not shy away from being open about the state of the US-China relationship. According to the White House, Biden “emphasized that the United States and China are in competition” and expressed support for and alignment with American allies.
Xi had his own points to make during his visit to the US. The Associated Press reported that at a dinner following the meeting, Xi warned that “the United States should not bet against China, or interfere in China’s internal affairs.”
An anonymous source told the Associated Press that during the meeting Biden reaffirmed the U.S. stance that Taiwan has a right to defend itself and that the U.S. would continue to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
The U.S. is committed by law to supply Taiwan with means to defend itself but remains vague about if it would actually intervene in a war between mainland China and the island – a policy widely referred to as “strategic ambiguity.”
Their meeting came as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. According to the organization's website, their mission is to to “support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.”
In addition to the meeting between Xi and Biden, world leaders and business representatives participated in the week-long summit.
Xi and Biden’s meeting appears to have made some progress toward the organization’s goals, as well as the goals of China, the US and its allies.
The future of the relationship between the two countries will be dependent on continued efforts to communicate, maintain peace and cooperate. However, It remains to be seen whether improvements in relations actually happen.
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