“We have made some important progress, the conversations were very constructive and productive”: This is how Joe Biden summarized in his press conference the four-hour face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping in a picturesque residence on the outskirts of San Francisco, the first in a year in which relations between the two countries had reached their lowest point. The aim was to initiate the thaw. “To understand each other clearly and to ensure that competition does not lead to conflict,” as Biden explained after the handshake. And to “overcome the differences” in a world “big enough for the coexistence and success of China and the United States,” which “cannot turn their backs,” let alone against the backdrop of a global economy “on the rise , but at slow speed”. “The momentum is being affected by protectionism,” Xi Jinping reiterated, saying he believes in a “promising future” for U.S.-China relations. However, once the dialogue has resumed, several problems and tensions remain: from Taiwan to economic relations, marred for China by US sanctions and restrictions on high-tech exports and for Washington by the lack of a level playing field. Furthermore, in a response that was diplomatically inappropriate at that moment, Biden once again publicly defined Xi as a “dictator” in the sense – he tried to nuance it – that he was at the head of a “communist” country. And he said he had raised concerns about human rights abuses in China, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. But the most important result is the restoration of communication at the highest level with a direct line between the two leaders in the event of a crisis, as Biden announced in his rare post-summit press conference, the third this year. The military hotline, which Beijing canceled after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan in 2022, was also reinstated. They also agreed with Xi on China’s crackdown on the production and export of the chemical precursors of the opioid fentanyl, a low-cost synthetic drug that claims tens of thousands of victims in the United States every year. The commitment to cooperation on climate was also confirmed, although Biden called on Beijing to be more committed. Also intended for discussion about artificial intelligence. Instead, wall against wall in Taiwan. Biden said he reiterated America’s one-China policy but made it clear to Xi that the U.S. expects China not to interfere in Taiwan’s elections, underscoring the importance of cross-strait peace and stability. But the Beijing leader warned, according to China’s Foreign Ministry, that the United States should “take concrete measures to fulfill its commitment not to support Taiwan’s independence, to stop arming, and to support the peaceful reunification of China,” a goal he said defined as “unstoppable.” The message is that sooner or later Taiwan will return home by hook or by crook. Another sore point that Xi raises is the American measures “on export controls, investment screening and unilateral sanctions, which seriously harm China’s legitimate interests.” The call is for them to be removed “in order to create a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies.” However, Biden also lamented the lack of a level playing field in economic competition and warned that the handling of intellectual property deters investment. In the press conference, Xi responded to his request to contribute to de-escalation both in the Middle East (in particular by putting pressure on Iran not to escalate the conflict) and in Ukraine (in this case the requested pressure is also directed at North Korea). ): The Chinese leader remains Putin’s main political ally and has aligned himself with the Palestinian cause. Biden instead reiterated his support for Israel, while recalling the obligation to act with caution so as not to harm civilians and the two-state solution.
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