Biden, Xi stress need to avoid nuclear war
US REITERATES SUPPORT FOR ‘ONE CHINA’ POLICY AHEAD OF G20 SUMMIT
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed in talks yesterday that nuclear weapons should never be used, including in Ukraine, the White House said.
“President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” it said in a statement.
The pair held their first faceto-face talks since Biden took office on the sidelines of a G20 meeting. Biden reiterated US support for its longstanding ‘One China’ policy, which recognises the government in Beijing while allowing for informal US relations and defence ties with Taipei.
The pair shook hands at the start of the meeting, with Biden saying the superpowers shared the responsibility to show the world that they can “manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming conflict”.
The White House said he had told Xi that Washington would “continue to compete vigorously” with China, but “this competition should not veer into conflict”.
He told Xi the world should encourage North Korea to act “responsibly”, after a recordbreaking series of missile launches by Pyongyang.
Common interests
Biden emerged from the meeting proclaiming there need not be a new Cold War, as both leaders spoke of the desire to prevent high tensions from spilling over into conflict.
Xi told Biden that the two countries “share more, not less, common interests”, according to a Chinese account of the meeting, sounding more conciliatory than the last three pandemic-filled years without face-to-face presidential meetings would suggest.
Biden emerged from the meeting proclaiming there need not be a new Cold War, as both leaders spoke of the desire to prevent high tensions from spilling over into conflict.
Joe Biden and Xi Jinping concluded the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the US and China since the pandemic began after about three hours yesterday, with both calling for reduced tensions between the world’s largest economies.
The White House said in a statement that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would travel to China, in a sign of a thaw in relations.
The countries will also resume talks between senior officials on issues including climate change, economic stability and debt relief, and health and food security, according to the statement.
Xi, meanwhile, told Biden that China, the US “share more, not less” common interests, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
“The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of ChinaUS relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations,” Xi was reported to have told Biden, state news agency Xinhua said, following the over three-hour talks.
Xi told the US president that the world is “big enough” for the US and China to prosper.
The Chinese leader also told Biden the “Taiwan question” is “first red line that must not be crossed” in US-China relations.
Leaders ‘agreed’ nuclear arms should never be used
Biden and Xi agreed in talks that nuclear weapons should never be used including in Ukraine, the White House said.
“President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won, and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” it said in a statement.
The pair shook hands at the start of the meeting, with Biden saying the superpowers shared the responsibility to show the world that they can “manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming conflict”.
The White House said he had told Xi that Washington would “continue to compete vigorously”, with China, but “this competition should not veer into conflict”.
Biden told Xi the world should encourage North Korea to act “responsibly”, after a record-breaking series of mis
sile launches by Pyongyang and growing fears of a new nuclear test.
“Good to see you,” Biden said to Xi before they joined US and Chinese officials. The two sides sat at long conference tables with a display of flowers between them.
“The world expects, I believe, China and the United States to play key roles in addressing global challenges, from climate
changes to food insecurity, and for us to be able to work together,” Biden added. “The United States stands ready to do just that, work with you — if that’s what you desire.”
Xi told Biden, “Currently, the China-US relationship is in such a situation that we all care a lot about it, because this is not the fundamental interest of our two countries and peoples and it’s not what the international community expects of us,” Xi said, through a translator. He said the two sides “need to find the right direction” and “elevate the relationship”.
Before meeting Xi, Biden talked with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and Australia on Sunday, which White House officials described as prelude for the much-anticipated gathering with the Chinese leader.