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US president Joe Biden and his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping will meet in particular person for the primary time as leaders earlier than the G20 summit in Bali subsequent week, in a high-stakes encounter that comes amid rising tensions between the 2 powers.
The White Home stated the leaders would meet on Monday in Indonesia, which is internet hosting the G20 from Tuesday. Will probably be their sixth dialog since Biden entered the Oval Workplace, however their first face-to-face assembly for the reason that then US vice-president met Xi at Davos in January 2017.
“The leaders will focus on efforts to keep up and deepen traces of communication between the US and the PRC [People’s Republic of China], responsibly handle competitors, and work collectively the place our pursuits align, particularly on transnational challenges that have an effect on the worldwide group,” stated Karine Jean-Pierre, White Home press secretary. She added that they might additionally focus on regional and world points.
The extremely anticipated assembly comes because the US and China grapple with a spread of contentious points which have propelled relations to their lowest stage for the reason that international locations established diplomatic ties in 1979.
It additionally comes weeks after Xi secured an unprecedented third time period as chief, and on the heels of an surprising reprieve for Biden on Tuesday when the Democrats averted a rout within the midterm elections.
At a information convention on Wednesday, Biden stated he would use the Bali assembly to stipulate the US place on the China relationship and discover whether or not there was any risk of discovering resolutions.
“What I wish to do with him once we speak is lay out . . . what every of our pink traces are, perceive what he believes to be within the important nationwide pursuits of China, what I do know to be the important pursuits of the US, and to find out whether or not or not they battle with each other. And in the event that they do, how you can resolve it,” Biden stated.
A senior US official stated Biden wished to have a “strategic dialog” with Xi and hoped to “construct a flooring for the connection”. One of many prime points on the agenda is predicted to be Taiwan, over which tensions have risen dramatically over the previous two years.
When the leaders held a digital assembly a yr in the past, Biden burdened the necessity to make sure that competitors didn’t “veer into battle”. The stakes grew to become much more obvious in August when China responded to Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting Taipei with main army workout routines that included firing missiles over Taiwan for the primary time.
A number of senior US officers and army officers have warned that China could also be getting ready to take army motion in opposition to Taiwan prior to was beforehand believed. Simply earlier than he retired as head of US Indo-Pacific Command in April final yr, Admiral Philip Davidson warned that China might invade Taiwan by 2027. Final month, Admiral Mike Gilday, chief of US naval operations, stated China might take army motion earlier than 2024.
Secretary of state Antony Blinken not too long ago stated that China wished to hurry up the method by which it pursues “reunification” with Taiwan, over which it claims sovereignty. Underscoring that concern, Biden has on 4 events stated the US would defend Taiwan from a Chinese language assault.
Requested on Wednesday if he would ship the identical message to Xi in Bali, Biden responded: “I’m going to have that dialog with him.”
China accuses the US of diluting the “One China” coverage, underneath which Washington recognises Beijing as the federal government of China and acknowledges, with out endorsing, the Chinese language place that Taiwan is a part of China.
Beijing can be indignant about draft laws on Capitol Hill that will approve $10bn in funding over 5 years to offer weapons to Taiwan. If the measure passes, it could mark a big change in method, since Washington has prior to now permitted solely the sale of American weapons that Taiwan pays for with its personal funds.
Observe Demetri Sevastopulo on Twitter
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