With their respective goals in mind, Biden and Xi will try to stabilise US-China relations
One year later, US President Joe Biden will once again meet face-to-face with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. This meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit being held this week in the US city of San Francisco.
The meeting will aim to defuse tensions between the two superpowers after years of disagreements over Taiwan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Beijing's growing influence in the Middle East.
As the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, has announced, the two leaders will address "some of the most fundamental elements of the bilateral relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China". Sullivan stresses, for example, "the continued importance of strengthening open lines of communication and managing competition responsibly so that it does not lead to conflict".
From this meeting, Washington hopes to re-establish military ties with China, as well as make progress in the joint fight against the trade in fentanyl, a drug that is already the leading cause of overdose deaths in many US cities.
The way to achieve these goals, according to Sullivan, is "through intense diplomacy". "This is how we clear up misperceptions and avoid surprises," he said. On the other hand, there also needs to be a return to communication and partnership between the two militaries, two of the most powerful in the world.
The White House National Security Advisor has indicated that Biden would come to the summit "on solid footing", having positioned the United States to compete effectively at home and abroad and with "the strongest recovery and lowest inflation of any leading economy".
Sullivan also acknowledged that China had been "constructive" on the issue in the pre-meeting dialogue. For Beijing, its economic growth is key, which is why it hopes to reach an agreement for Washington to reduce tariffs and sanctions against its technology companies.
"The President will be able to report after the meeting whether we have made progress in restoring military-to-military ties," he concluded.
Other issues on the meeting's agenda include the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea's ties with Russia, Taiwan, human rights, artificial intelligence, as well as "fair" trade and economic relations, as senior Biden administration officials told Reuters.
On the Middle East and the current tensions surrounding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Sullivan noted that Biden would "enhance stability throughout the region", indicating that Beijing should also share an interest in reducing regional tension. In this sense, it should be noted that the Asian giant has emerged as a mediator between Israelis and Palestinians in order to resolve the long-running conflict.
Regarding the current war, Beijing has stopped short of condemning Hamas's brutal attack on Israel on 7 October, while Washington has reiterated its support for Jerusalem, defending its right to defend itself.
"The People's Republic of China has a relationship with Iran and is able, if it wishes, to raise those points directly with the Iranian government," Sullivan said. Beijing also succeeded in getting the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic relations after years of estrangement.
Despite diplomatic efforts, tensions remain at the forefront of US-China relations
Biden and Xi have spoken on the phone as many as six times since Biden's inauguration in 2021. However, they have only met once in person since then, while Xi has not visited the US since 2017.
China cut off military communications with the US last year after then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, an island Beijing claims as its own. The rift between the two powers deepened further when the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon in February.
Months later, in June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to China to meet with Xi and try to stabilise bilateral relations. The US chief diplomat and the Chinese president agreed on the importance of more stable ties, as any conflict between the two largest economies would affect the whole world. However, China refused to resume military communication channels, citing US sanctions as the obstacle.
Just a day after Blinken's visit, Biden called President Xi Jinping a "dictator", prompting anger from Beijing, which branded the comments a "provocation". This statement reignited tensions after Blinken's diplomatic efforts to achieve some stability.
Divisions over the Middle East and Ukraine to mark APEC summit
As for the APEC forum, the summit that will bring together the two leaders, the war in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to occupy some of the attention, dividing participants. Senior US APEC official Matt Murray has stressed that the United States was working "hard" to try to achieve a strong consensus statement from the leaders, although analysts predict that divisions will make a joint communiqué difficult, Reuters reports.
Sullivan, meanwhile, also noted that during the summit, Biden will lay out his economic vision for the region and talk about "how the United States is the key driver of inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific".
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra
