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At a time of serious political tensions between the US and China, Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have met for the first time for top-level talks.

The two heads of state met Monday for the G20 summit of the major industrialized and emerging countries in the Indonesian holiday island of Bali. They had called each other several times since Biden’s election victory two years ago, but hadn’t seen each other in person. The two greeted each other with a handshake.

Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, which was to last several hours, Xi said relations “were facing many challenges”. “As leaders of two great countries, we must chart the right path (…) as we move forward.”

He described the duties of a statesman as follows: “He must also think about how other countries and the rest of the world should be treated.” The world is experiencing changes like never before seen by humanity. He was ready for a “candid and deep” conversation.

Biden stressed that the competition between the two countries should not become a conflict. Both countries have a “responsibility” to deal with their differences and find areas of cooperation. This is also crucial for the well-being of the international community. So it is important to keep in touch. The US and China played a key role in addressing global challenges.

Before the talk, Biden announced that he wanted to show Xi “red lines”. “There are few misunderstandings between us. We just need to figure out where the red lines are – and what matters most to each of us in the next two years.” Washington-Beijing relations have been at an all-time low for some time. Both states are increasingly competitive.

Both the US and China are members of the G20, whose heads of state and government will meet in Bali this Tuesday and Wednesday for their annual summit. Originally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is heavily criticized internationally for the war in Ukraine, would also be present. However, the Kremlin boss is now represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said before the meeting: “The president sees the US and China in a fierce competition. But this competition must not become conflict or confrontation and must be regulated responsibly.” All countries are required to act according to a set of “established and agreed rules”. The use of intimidation, coercion or aggression should be avoided. Biden and Xi had previously met at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2017. Biden was vice president under Barack Obama at the time.

The list of controversial issues is long: China’s support for Putin after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the trade war between the two countries, Chinese threats against democratic Taiwan and territorial claims in the South China Sea. China, in turn, accuses the United States of wanting to hinder its rise in the world. The US increasingly sees China as a rival and a threat.

The goal of the conversation is also to find areas where interests match, Sullivan said. He cited climate change and the health of our own population as examples. Biden has been in Bali since Sunday. On Monday, he met Indonesian President Joko Widodo for the first time. The US government announced it will increase its support for the vast country of more than 275 million people in the field of climate protection and development aid. (aeg/sda/dpa)