US and Chinese Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping staged, this Monday, November 14, an approach aimed at prevent their rivalry from escalating into open conflict, although both remained firm in their red lines, especially around Taiwan.
Biden and Xi met for more than three hours at a hotel on the Indonesian island of Bali, one day before the start g20 summit and in what was the first face-to-face meeting of the two leaders since the American arrived at the White House in January 2021.
The Chinese and US governments gave details of the meeting in two statements that They agree on many points, but differ on others. Like the war in Ukraine.
Taiwan, China’s ‘red line’
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement, Xi warned Biden that Taiwan, whose sovereignty China claims, is “the first ‘red line’ not to be crossed“and assured that he hopes the US will do”honor your promise” of not support eventual independence for the island.
For its part, the White House said that Biden informed Xi that his policy towards Taiwan has not changed and that he continues to oppose any “one-sided changein the ‘status quo’.
Biden reiterated his support for the principle of “one china“, what does it mean that The only Chinese government that Washington recognizes is the one based in Beijing, which distances him from Taiwan’s independence aspirations.
In exchange for recognizing that principle, however, the United States signed the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which commits the country to the defense of Taiwan, even though it does not make it clear if the power would intervene in the event of a Chinese attack in a policy known as ‘strategic ambiguity’.
In line with that policy, Biden conveyed his objections to the Chinese leader about the actions “coercive and increasingly aggressive” from Beijing to the island, which endanger the “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait and throughout the region, detailed the White House in its statement.
Different versions of the war in Ukraine
On the other hand, the US version of the meeting ensures that Xi and Biden agreed to reject the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine, a claim made important by Russia’s nuclear threats.
The Chinese statement makes no mention of that point and merely says that the two leaders exchanged views on the war in Ukraine, which it refers to as “crisis“.
In this regard, Xi reiterated that China is “very worried” due to the current situation and is on the side of the “peace“, for which he reiterated his desire to that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia resume, in addition to “deep dialogues” between Russia, the United States, NATO and the European Union.
China has had to do contortions with the war in Ukraine: It has avoided criticizing Russia, which it considers its strategic partner, and has tried not to play an active role because one of its great principles in foreign policy is respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States.
Trade, climate change and North Korea
In addition, the Chinese statement placed greater emphasis on trade relations than the US statement.
According to the Chinese note, Xi warned Biden that start a commercial, technological, seek economic decoupling or cut supply chains “does not serve anyone’s interest“.
The White House only alluded to China’s “practices” that go against the market economy and he did not mention the tariffs that former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) imposed on Chinese imports and that Biden has maintained.
It also did not address the new restrictions that the US has placed on the sale of Chinese microchips.
What the White House did include in its statement was a reference to the talks between China and the US on climate change and other issues of bilateral collaboration, which had been suspended after the visit to Taiwan by the Speaker of the House in August. American Low, Nancy Pelosi.
Specifically, the White House announced that Xi and Biden had agreed to rstart the dialogue on climate change, something that does not appear explicitly in the Chinese statement.
With respect to North Korea, The US president conveyed to Xi his concerns about the behavior of the Kim Jong-un regime, which has increased the launch of missiles and could be preparing to carry out its first nuclear test since 2017.
“I made it very clear to President Xi that I believe they have an obligation to make it clear to North Korea that they should not conduct nuclear tests.“, Biden revealed in a press conference after the meeting and in which he pointed to the possibility that Washington increases its military presence in the region if that happens.
A handshake to repair relationships
Beyond the content the meeting was full of symbols. The one that gained the most attention was greeting with a handshake which Biden and Xi staged, smiling and posing for the cameras.
Asked about the tone of the meeting, Biden said that both were “very frank“with each other.
The two leaders agreed to improve their communications and established that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China for further talks, although the White House did not specify a date.
Although Biden and Xi have known each other for years as senior politicians in their countries, this was their first face-to-face meeting as heads of state.
The last time they saw each other was in January 2017 at the Davos Forum.
EFE
