Biden, Xi to hold virtual summit by end of year
ZURICH/BEIJING/TAIPEI: The United States and China have agreed in principle for their presidents to hold a virtual meeting before year’s end, a senior US administration official said on Wednesday, after high-level talks meant to improve communication between the two big powers.
Top Chinese and US diplomats held talks in Zurich which were constructive and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding, paving the way for further talks in the future, the Chinese official media reported on Thursday.
Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met US national security adviser Jake Sullivan for six-hour talks in the Swiss city on Wednesday.
While the Chinese official statement on the talks did not mention it, reports quoted a White House official as saying
that President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden were likely to have a virtual meeting before the end of the year.
According to the Chinese readout, the two sides agreed to take action, following the spirit of the phone call between Chinese and US heads of state on September 10, to strengthen strategic communication and properly manage differences.
The two countries, it added, agreed to “avoid confrontation
and conflict, seek mutual benefit and win-win results, and work together to bring China-us relations back on the right track of sound and steady development”.
Separately, the head of a French delegation of senators, Alain Richard, on Thursday called Taiwan a “country” during a visit to Taipei, risking fury from China which has strongly protested against the trip.