US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in California on Wednesday. The White House announced this in Washington on Friday.
The two have not met in person for a discussion since the 2022 G20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Relations between the world’s two largest economies have long been very tense.
A serious trade conflict, American sanctions against companies from China and a Chinese spy balloon above the US caused problems. Beijing’s attitude in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has also come under criticism, because China appears neutral to the outside world, but at the same time it is considered Russia’s most important partner and thus provides support to Moscow.
Potential for conflict: Taiwan
The Taiwan issue in particular has great potential for conflict. The island republic, which is separated from China only by a strait, has had a democratic government for decades. However, Beijing considers the country with more than 23 million inhabitants part of its territory.
The area is often the scene of military demonstrations. There are concerns that China could invade Taiwan the way Russia invaded Ukraine. Biden has promised military support from US troops to Taiwan in such a case. Beijing, in turn, bans any US “interference” in its domestic affairs.
The White House now said the two heads of state and government wanted to discuss bilateral issues, the importance of maintaining open channels of communication and a number of regional and global issues.
Stabilize the relationship
The meeting between the two presidents had been in preparation for months. The announcement was preceded by numerous meetings between senior government members from both sides. Biden sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China, among others.
Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese chief diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna and Malta. In late October, Wang Yi finally traveled to Washington. All this was in preparation for a meeting of the bosses.
Senior US government officials tempered expectations in advance. A list of results is not expected. “This is really about controlling competition, reducing the risk of conflict and ensuring that channels of communication are open.” The goal is to stabilize relationships.
(yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
