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Joe Biden to Xi Jinping: Competition must not turn into conflict

The long-awaited one is over digital summit of the American president Joe Biden and its Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, in which the leaders of the world’s two largest economies agreed that the risk of competition between them escalating into a “conflict” should be avoided, but otherwise they insisted on their fixed positions.

We did not expect any sudden progress and there was none, a U.S. official told Reuters news agency after the meeting. It was about tconversation of Messrs. Biden and C. after the Democrats took over the presidency of USA in January. The previous two had been done by phone.

In particular, the Chinese President greeted at the beginning of the debate – using a Chinese expression rendered “my old friend”– his American counterpart, despite the fact that Joe Biden publicly stated in June that the two of them are not “friends” at all. The statement came after a reporter asked Biden if he would be willing to call Mr Xi an “old friend to old friend” to ask for full access to World Health Organization experts investigating the origin of the new coronavirus. “Let us clarify something. We know each other well; but we are not old friends. It is simply a business “, for the management of state affairs, the current American president had responded, broadcasts ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ.

“China and the US must respect each other”

Nevertheless, the Chinese president chose to use this expression at the beginning of the discussion with his American counterpart, in a trying to show true goodwill, as seen by Wang Huiyo, president of the Center for Research Institute for China and Globalization. “China and the US must respect each other”said Xi Jinping. He called for better “communication” to be restored, for bilateral “cooperation” to be deepened, and for “peaceful coexistence” to be sought. The two governments must “assume their responsibilities” to the rest of the world, guaranteeing that the bilateral relationship will not lead to a collision course, he said. The Earth is big enough for both countries to develop and Washington and Beijing should not play zero-sum games, he added.

But Joe Biden also insisted that “Competition between the two countries must not turn into a conflict, either intentionally or unintentionally.”

The meeting was held against the background of continuing escalation of tensions between Washington and Beijing on a range of issues, from Taiwan to human rights and the ongoing bilateral trade war to Chinese territorial claims, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, etc. The tone may have changed. compared to his period Donald Trump – but the bilateral relationship remains more tense than ever since 1979, when the two countries formally concluded diplomatic relations.

Each of the two countries considers the other its main competitor internationally. Washington is deeply suspicious of Beijing’s rise to power and its claims. On the other hand, the Chinese leadership is increasingly protesting against American protectionism.

The red line of China

The Chinese side was attended by the Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Deputy Prime Minister Liu He, responsible for trade relations with the USA. On the other hand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the discussion Anthony Blinken and the Minister of Finance Janet Glenn.

Both Washington and Beijing degraded in advance any expectation of tangible progress at this meeting. No “concrete results” were expected, the White House warned. THE Zhao LijianA spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two leaders were expected to have a “sincere, in-depth and full exchange of views” on bilateral relations, which are at a “critical crossroads”.

Mr Biden emphasized the importance of the rules (…) will lead to an international system free, open and fair “. He expressed “concern about (Chinese) practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and human rights in general.”

He said that although Washington would continue to pursue a “united China” policy, it would “strongly oppose” any “unilateral” attempt to “change the status quo or strike a blow to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” On the same issue, Mr Xi told Mr Biden that Beijing would be forced to take “decisive action” if “pro-Taiwan independence” forces exceeded what the Chinese government considers a “red line”. state media.

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