In a meeting, Biden and Xi Jinping reinforce their responsibility to avoid conflict

US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke about Chinese practices in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang, among other areas of friction, the White House said in a statement released this Tuesday morning. ), after the two held a three-hour virtual meeting.

“President Biden has raised concerns about the practices of the People’s Republic of China in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as well as human rights in general,” the White House said.

Biden also told Xi that the US remains committed to a “One China” policy regarding Taiwan, the White House said, and the two pledged to work together on energy and climate issues.

Xi, for his part, told Biden that his country would have to take “decisive measures” if Taiwan’s “pro-independence” forces crossed the “red line,” the Chinese state agency reported.

China claims Taiwan’s government is its own, and Beijing has promised to bring the island under Chinese control, by force if necessary.

The two leaders also emphasized their responsibility to the world to avoid conflict.

“It seems to me that our responsibility as leaders of China and the United States is to ensure that our competition between our countries does not escalate into conflict, intentional or otherwise,” Biden said at the start of negotiations. “Simply simple and straightforward competition”.

Speaking through an interpreter, Xi said: “As the world’s two largest economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the United States need to increase communication and cooperation.”

The Chinese news agency Xinhua described the meeting as “frank, constructive, substantive and fruitful”.