STORY: The conversation between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping lasted a good three hours on Monday before the G20 summit in Indonesia. It was their first personal meeting since Biden took office, so the tension was correspondingly high. The US President then spoke of an open and unvarnished dialogue. At the same time, he warned that the United States would expand its presence in Asia should China not curb North Korea’s nuclear program. “That would not be directed against China, but would send a clear message to North Korea: We will defend our allies as well as American soil and American capacities.” According to later official information, Xi described the Taiwan issue as the “first red line” that should not be crossed in relations with the United States. It is an internal matter of the People’s Republic. Biden expressed his belief that a Chinese invasion of the island was not imminent. US policy on Taiwan has not changed. According to the US, both men spoke out against Russian threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. According to the Chinese account, Xi supports new peace talks between the governments in Moscow and Kyiv.