USA and China
After months of preparation: Biden and Xi will meet on Wednesday in California
Tense relations: US President Joe Biden (l.) and China’s head of state Xi Jinping
© Mandel Ngan / AFP
The rumor mill has been bubbling for a long time as to whether China’s head of state Xi Jinping would travel to the USA to meet US President Joe Biden. Now the White House has made the matter official. The two most powerful men in the world have a lot to talk about.
Biden and Xi want to discuss “bilateral, regional and global issues.”
Relations between the world’s two largest economies have long been very tense. A serious trade conflict, US sanctions against companies from China and a Chinese spy balloon over the USA caused trouble. Beijing’s stance in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is also met with criticism because China appears neutral to the outside world, but at the same time is considered Russia’s most important partner and thus provides Moscow with support.
The issue of Taiwan in particular harbors great potential for conflict. The island republic, which is only separated from China by a strait, has had a democratic government for decades. However, Beijing sees the country with more than 23 million inhabitants as part of its territory. The area is often the scene of military demonstrations of power. There are concerns that China could invade Taiwan like Russia invaded Ukraine. Biden has promised Taiwan military support from US troops in such an event. Beijing, in turn, prohibits any American “interference” in domestic affairs.
The White House said the two leaders wanted to discuss bilateral issues, the importance of maintaining open channels of communication and a range of regional and global issues.
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The meeting between the two presidents was in the making for many months. The announcement was preceded by numerous meetings between high-ranking government members from both sides. Biden sent, among others, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China. Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan met China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna and Malta. Wang Yi finally traveled to Washington at the end of October. All of this was in preparation for a meeting of the bosses.
High-ranking US government officials dampened expectations in advance. A list of results is not to be expected. “This is really about managing competition, reducing the risk of conflict and ensuring that communication channels are open.” The aim is to stabilize relationships.