Here’s what we learned about the Joe Biden-Ji Jinping Summit

Washington (CNN) – When he was president of China, Xi Jinping, Contacted the White House on Monday night Virtual Summit With the President Joe Biden, Both do not require introduction.

“We spent a lot of time talking to each other, and I hope we can have an honest conversation tonight,” Biden said as the conversation began and Roosevelt sat on Jin’s face at the head of the table in the living room. Aired on a couple TV screens.

From his seat in a cave room inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi was friendly.

“Although it’s not as good as meeting face to face,” G said at the beginning, “I’m so glad to see my old friend.”

This is a good start to some of Biden’s presidency’s talks, given the reality that government officials have acknowledged that managing the U.S. relationship with China would be tricky as relations between Washington and Beijing deteriorate. The most important international destination.

Taiwan on the table

When Biden expressed his concern over human rights and the Chinese occupation, the warm greetings finally became more intense. Taiwan And business issues. According to a senior executive who attended the discussions, the leaders were engaged in a “healthy discussion” throughout.

Officials said the three-and-a-half-hour summit, which took longer than planned, provided ample opportunity for the two to stay away from their prepared talks. Officials said the tone was “respectful and direct.”

But officials rejected the notion that the long-awaited summit did not bring much progress – nothing was anticipated – and that the summit was intended to facilitate an increasingly close relationship.

“I do not think the purpose is particularly to alleviate the tension or its outcome. We want to make sure we manage the competition responsibly. We have the means to do that. The president has made it clear that he’s going to take part in that tough competition,” the senior executive later said.

The relationship that existed when Xi and Biden were vice presidents of their countries

Biden wants to cite the dozens of hours and thousands of miles he reached with Xi when they both served as vice presidents of their respective countries. He said he had spent more time with the Chinese president than any other world leader.

But things have changed since Biden had dinner with Xi on the Tibetan Plateau, describing the United States in a single word, “possibilities.”

Now, the world’s two largest economies are embroiled in serious tensions over trade, military occupation and human rights. Biden, who kicked off the virtual summit on Monday night, has been in high tension with China’s most powerful leader for decades.

During the summit, each man narrated stories of traveling together, sometimes quoting the words of another at the time, the senior executive said.

Biden said he hopes to discuss a substantial and far-reaching agenda as negotiations progress.

“As I have said before, as leaders of China and the United States, it seems to me that it is our responsibility to ensure that the rivalry between our two countries does not turn into conflict, intentionally or accidentally. Just direct competition,” he said. He spoke with Xi through a translator.

“It seems to me that in order to be clear and honest where our disagreements interfere with our interests, we need to establish some common sense barriers,” Biden continued, calling for “honest and direct communication” on a variety of topics. .

“We never wonder what the other person thinks,” he said.

Conversation topics between Biden and Xi

The White House later said Biden was concerned about human rights abuses Uyghur minorities Western Xinjiang Province and Tibet.

Taiwan, which has been a source of increased tension in recent months, was the subject of extensive debate during the summit. Biden stressed the importance of the “One China” policy and was outspoken in his concerns about Chinese behavior threatening the stability of the Taiwan Strait. But he did not install any of the new “trains” mentioned at the beginning of the talks.

In Govt-19, Biden reaffirmed the importance of transparency in preventing future outbreaks, acknowledging China’s reluctance to allow an international inquiry. The origin of the current epidemic.

He raised areas where the United States and China could cooperate, including on climate change. The two countries surprised visitors at the recent US climate talks. COP26 With a joint commitment to reduce emissions in Scotland.

Officials said the issue did not come up after speculation that Xi could use the meeting to invite Pita to the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

White House officials were looking forward to a big signing ceremony on the freshly southerly South Lawn Massive public works package, Held just hours before Biden’s virtual summit, will help mark progress in his core foreign policy: showing that democracies can deliver more effectively than dictatorships like China. He planned to describe the new infrastructure package to Xi.

Is true ர சி து This was accomplished with the help of some Republicans, fulfilling Biden’s promise to work beyond party boundaries, helping to keep his promise to show that, according to officials, democracy can work.

The political position of Biden and Ji

However, he entered the negotiations at a time of political weakness. His party did worse than expected from opinion polls, which saw them at gaining about a third of the seats Virginia, And polls continue to show Approval Approval At some lower levels of his presidency.

This is in stark contrast to Xi, whose consolidation of power in China elevated him to two powerful pioneers, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, when the Chinese Communist Party adopted a key resolution last week. Improving Xi’s status only increased the need for a face-to-face meeting with Python, officials said.

Every issue that Biden is focusing on domestically and internationally has a connection with China. Problems of Supply chain Who are driving Swelling Part of the shortage of Chinese factories in the country can be said. The fight against climate change requires a purchase from Xi, who has expressed a willingness to partner with Biden on this issue. Managing global hotspots such as North Korea And Iran signify integration with Beijing.

Face-to-face meetings

Biden was a fan of face-to-face meetings and, early in his presidency, complained that virtual summits, in which foreign leaders were attached to video screens, could not recreate the chemistry of sitting face-to-face. U.S. officials say the leader-leader meetings with Xi are even more important, as his inner circle has grown smaller and smaller and is now using a historic level of power.

In the summer, participants were expected to hold a meeting between the two on the sidelines of this year’s Group 20 summit in Rome. But, due to Govt-19 concerns, Ji has not left China for almost two years. So, Biden settled on a virtual summit as a way to advance his two previous phone conversations with Xi.

“There is something different about looking at someone physically, in the depths of one’s conversation, compared to a normal telephone connection,” the executive said, describing the different ways to prepare for a video conference compared to a telephone conversation. .

Nicole Gaouette of CNN contributed to this report.