Joe Biden's joke about Xi Jinping's “dictatorial” status is unlikely to undermine progress in US-China relations.
After four long hours of negotiations between the world's two most powerful leaders at a secluded California estate, the previous détente was cemented by an awkward walk by television crews among the tall hedges of English Renaissance-style gardens.
The meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping is reported in The Telegraph.
The manicured lawns of the secluded 265-hectare Filoli estate were featured in the 2001 Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy The Wedding Planner, but there was little apparent warmth between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping.
They walked in uncomfortable silence, giving the slightest wave and thumbs up for the cameras.
But at least they met.
“Both are interested in reducing tensions”
Months of silence and heightened tensions between the world's two biggest superpowers have raised concerns at a time of great global uncertainty, with two hot wars ongoing in the Middle East and Ukraine.
A lavish lunch of ricotta ravioli, artichoke chips, tarragon fried chicken and rice pilaf failed to paper over the cracks in the relationship between two veteran statesmen who are deeply skeptical of each other but both interested. in future.
“Productive discussion”
Biden emerged from the meeting saying these were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we've ever had,” touting new cooperation on counternarcotics and renewed military-to-military communications.
Most importantly, he “pressed the reset button” on US-China relations.
Restoring a direct military hotline in particular could prove vital to avoiding a third geopolitical crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, where the US and China are at odds over potential flashpoints in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
“Game of Cat and Mouse”
At a time when Chinese coast guard ships play a daily game of cat and mouse with Philippine vessels in disputed maritime territories, a call between military leaders could mean the difference between peace and rapid escalation.
The “direct” conversation between Xi and Biden found little common ground on the most contentious issues, including Iran and the future of Taiwan, a democratic island that the Chinese Communist Party claims as its own even though it has never led there.
“C's Warning”
Xi warned the US to stop arming Taiwan and refused to rule out using force to seize control of it. Biden emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and Washington's insistence on maintaining the “status quo.”
He has raised sensitive human rights issues in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet, and railed against China over its coercive foreign policy. Chinese state media reported that Xi urged the United States “not to plan to suppress or contain China.”
What Biden says
At a time of intense competition, keeping the U.S.-China relationship “rational and manageable,” in Biden's words, is the most realistic outcome the world can hope for.
“I know the man, I know his way of doing things, I looked him in the eye,” said the US president, who has maintained a deep relationship with Xi during their long political careers, but when asked if he trusted his colleague, he said : “Trust but verify, as the old saying goes. That’s exactly what I do.”
The two leaders' future agreement to “pick up the phone” and “call directly” during disputes is, however, a stabilizing factor as Taiwan and the United States head toward crucial elections next year.
Biden's off-the-cuff joke about the Chinese president's “dictatorial” status may steal the headlines from the constructive summit, but is unlikely to derail the gradual progress that has been made. Both sides need a break from their intense rivalry.
But it remains uncertain whether the respite from tensions will stand the test of time, or whether the relationship could again be thrown off course by a potentially turbulent US election campaign or other major external event.
Recall that after a meeting with American President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country “will not wage a cold or hot war” with any nation.
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