10-11-2023 (WASHINGTON) President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet face-to-face for the first time in a year on Wednesday, as part of high-stakes diplomacy aimed at reducing tensions between the two superpowers. The meeting, which will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the San Francisco Bay area, is expected to cover a range of global issues, including the Israel-Hamas war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea’s ties with Russia, Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, human rights, fentanyl, artificial intelligence, and trade and economic relations.
Senior officials from both administrations anticipate a lengthy and comprehensive discussion, potentially involving teams of officials from Beijing and Washington. According to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity during a briefing with reporters, “Nothing will be held back; everything is on the table.” The United States acknowledges that efforts to shape or reform China over the past few decades have not succeeded, but recognizes China’s enduring presence and influence on the world stage.
U.S. officials, who have been advocating for this meeting for nearly a year, believe that Beijing has actively worked to undermine U.S. policies globally. The White House confirmed the day of the meeting in a statement on Friday, while the Chinese foreign ministry announced that President Xi would visit the United States from November 14 to 17, attend the APEC summit, and meet with President Biden.
This face-to-face meeting between Biden and Xi marks their first direct conversation since November 2022. After an incident where Biden ordered the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting U.S. skies in February, the U.S. president’s team orchestrated a diplomatic effort to mend the strained relationship between the two countries. The expected outcome of the meeting is increased diplomacy, with promises of further discussions on key issues such as climate change, global health, economic stability, counter-narcotics efforts, and the potential resumption of some military-to-military channels after a period of high-level freeze.
While both sides may make modest gestures of goodwill to facilitate the talks, achieving substantial progress will be challenging. U.S. and Chinese officials acknowledge that the two nations see themselves locked in direct competition to secure military superiority, dominate the 21st-century economy, and win the support of secondary countries. Efforts to carefully plan Xi’s visit may face disruptions in the politically active and protest-prone city of San Francisco.
Biden and Xi have known each other for over a decade and have engaged in several conversations since Biden’s inauguration in 2021. However, both leaders approach the meeting with mutual suspicion, grievances, and incomplete understandings of each other’s intentions, according to analysts. Among the sensitive topics expected to be raised, Biden is likely to address Chinese “influence operations” in foreign elections and the status of U.S. citizens who are believed to be wrongly detained in China.
President Biden, at 80 years old, presides over an economy that has exceeded expectations and outperformed most other wealthy nations following the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite domestic challenges and concerns about the stability of U.S. democracy, Biden has rallied traditional allies in Europe and Asia to confront Russia in Ukraine, despite differing opinions on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In the Asian region, the United States is actively leveraging its long-standing alliances, including NATO and defense treaties, to deter potential conflicts with China.
At 70 years old, Xi Jinping has become the most influential Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, consolidating control over policy, state leaders, media, and the military while enacting constitutional changes. China’s economy, however, has faced mounting challenges, disrupting its three-decade streak of rapid growth.
Diplomats in Washington anticipate that Beijing will test the United States in the coming weeks, capitalizing on the perceived shift in U.S. focus towards Ukraine and Israel to pursue its own ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. During the meeting, President Biden is expected to reaffirm the United States’ unwavering commitments in the Indo-Pacific, addressing China’s concerns regarding the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and East China Sea—areas of international dispute. Additionally, Biden will express a specific commitment to the security of the Philippines, according to U.S. officials. Another topic of discussion is likely to be Iran, with the U.S. president urging Xi to discourage any attempts by Iran to escalate conflicts in the Middle East.
