At the end of last year, US President Biden and China’s head of state Xi agreed to speak to each other more frequently again. They now complied. Some conflict issues were discussed in a telephone conversation.
For the first time since their crisis meeting in November, US President Joe Biden and China’s head of state Xi Jinping spoke on the phone again. The White House announced this following the conversation.
The US government headquarters spoke of an “open and constructive” discussion in which Biden also addressed many critical points, including China’s attitude towards Taiwan. Biden reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
With regard to the intense economic competition between the two countries, Biden also expressed “ongoing concerns about China’s unfair trade policies and non-market economy practices.” Chinese support for Russia’s defense industry, dangers associated with artificial intelligence and the fight against international drug trafficking were also discussed.
Long radio silence
The two presidents met last November near the US metropolis of San Francisco for a personal meeting after a whole year of complete radio silence in order to stabilize relations between the two countries. There they also agreed to talk on the phone regularly again in the future.
Previously, Biden and Xi had not seen each other or spoken to each other in person for a whole year, since the G20 summit in Bali in November 2022.
Yellen and Blinken are traveling to China soon
A senior US government official said that further exchanges at the level of Cabinet members were expected after the presidents’ phone call. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wants to travel to China again in the coming days and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the coming weeks. Visits by members of the Chinese government to the USA are also planned. There should also be a telephone conversation between the defense ministers of both countries soon.
Relations between the world’s two largest economies have long been strained, including after economic sanctions against Beijing and amid fears in the West that China’s army could invade Taiwan. The island republic, which is only separated from China by a strait, has had a democratic government for decades. However, China sees the country with more than 23 million inhabitants as part of its territory.
There are fears that China could annex Taiwan using military force. Biden has promised Taiwan military assistance in such an event. The area around Taiwan is often the scene of military demonstrations of force.