Biden and Xi speak frankly but avoid confrontation
Both leaders stick to entrenched positions, discuss North Korea, trade, climate and other hot topics
WASHINGTON/BEIJING : US President Joe Biden pressed his Chinese counterpart on human rights in a video call lasting more than three hours, while Mr Xi Jinping warned that China would respond to provocations on Taiwan, according to official accounts of the exchange.
The closely scrutinised conversation between the leaders of the world's biggest economies was described by both sides as frank and direct as the two sides tried to lower the temperature and avoid conflict.
The talks, which began on Monday evening in Washington - yesterday morning in Beijing - appeared to yield no immediate outcomes, but gave the two leaders opportunity to nudge their relations away from icy confrontation, even as they stuck to entrenched positions.
They discussed North Korea, Afghanistan, Iran, global energy markets, trade and competition, climate, military issues, the pandemic and other areas where they frequently disagree.
Mr Xi, who has not left his country since Covid-19 spread worldwide from the central Chinese city of Wuhan nearly two years ago, compared the two countries to "two giant ships sailing in the sea" that needed to be steadied so they did not collide, Chinese state media reported.
"I hope that, Mr President, you can exercise political leadership to return the United States' China policy to a rational and pragmatic track," Mr Xi told Mr Biden, according to Xinhua, a reference to tough-on-China policies that Beijing hoped would be rolled back after Biden came to office.
Mr Biden spoke of avoiding conflict as well.
"It seems to me our responsibility as leaders of China and the United States is to ensure that our competition between our countries does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended," Mr Biden said during a short exchange observed by reporters at the start of the meeting. "Just simple, straightforward competition."
The leaders had a "healthy debate", a senior US official said afterwards.
Mr Biden stressed the importance of China fulfilling its commitments under a trade pact negotiated with Mr Biden's predecessor, Mr Donald Trump, the US official said.
Sharp differences over the self-ruled island of Taiwan remain.
While Mr Biden reiterated long-standing US support for the "One China" policy under which it officially recognises Beijing rather than Taipei, he also said he "strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait", the White House said.
Mr Xi said those in Taiwan who seek independence, and their supporters in the US, were "playing with fire", according to Xinhua.
"China is patient and seeks peaceful reunification with great sincerity and effort, but if Taiwan secessionists provoke, or even cross the red line, we will have to take decisive measures," he said. - REUTERS
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