11-9-2023 (HANOI) United States President Joe Biden disclosed on Sunday that he engaged in high-level talks with Chinese leadership, marking the most significant dialogue between the two nations in nearly 10 months. The discussions took place during the annual Group of 20 (G-20) summit held in New Delhi.
The key meeting involved Mr. Biden and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who currently holds the No. 2 position in China’s leadership. This summit marked the first face-to-face encounter between the leaders since the G-20 summit in Indonesia in 2022.
Li, who assumed his current role in March, represented China at the summit in the absence of President Xi Jinping. While formal talks between the two leaders were not initially scheduled, unplanned interactions during such gatherings are customary.
In a press briefing in Vietnam, President Biden emphasized that his administration maintained ongoing communication with Chinese counterparts, including discussions with President Xi’s team and cabinet members. The encounter with Premier Li was described as non-confrontational, with discussions focusing on stability and the Southern Hemisphere.
The White House confirmed that President Biden had indeed met with a senior Chinese leader at the G-20 summit.
The recent dialogue comes as both superpowers attempt to improve their relations in 2023 following tensions triggered by a suspected Chinese spy balloon incident over US territory. Additionally, concerns about an economic slowdown have cast a shadow over Beijing.
President Biden used the press conference to highlight the strength of the US economy on a global scale. While acknowledging China’s economic deceleration, he did not specify which Chinese policies had contributed to the slowdown. He characterized China’s economic situation as a “crisis,” citing challenges in the real estate sector and elevated youth unemployment.
The US President mentioned that one of the key economic aspects of President Xi’s plan was not performing as expected. However, he did not provide further details and stated, “I’m not happy for that, but it’s not working.”
Addressing the economic challenges faced by China, President Biden commented, “He [President Xi] has his hands full right now.”
The 80-year-old Democrat is preparing for the 2024 presidential re-election campaign, where his management of the economy and inflation have become pivotal concerns for voters. The US economy recorded a 2.1 percent annualized growth rate in the last quarter, with central banks raising interest rates to combat rising inflation.
China, on the other hand, has seen signs of potential stabilization in its economic downturn, with improvements in trade data, narrowed declines in exports and imports, and efforts by policymakers to stimulate demand and prevent deflation.
Premier Li has expressed confidence in achieving China’s 2023 growth target of approximately 5 percent, but some analysts are less optimistic due to challenges such as a declining property market, sluggish consumer spending, and reduced credit growth.
President Biden’s efforts to maintain open communication with China aim to ease tensions in international matters, particularly regarding Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its territory. President Biden expressed his belief that China’s economic challenges would not lead to an invasion of Taiwan, adding that China might not have the same capacity it had before.
President Biden also addressed recent moves by Chinese officials to restrict the use of US-designed Apple iPhones by state employees, characterizing this as an attempt to “change some of the rules of the game” in trade. He emphasized his commitment to establishing the right relationship with China.
