U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person for the first time in a year in San Francisco, agreeing to resume high-level military communication.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference. According to reports, both leaders re-established direct, open, and clear communications. This development comes after a period of military exercises conducted around Taiwan by China and aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea.
The U.S. has been eager to re-engage in military communications with China since the two countries experienced near-miss incidents at sea. President Biden highlighted the importance of avoiding potential miscalculations that could lead to significant trouble.
Following the recent summit, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will plan to meet with his Chinese counterpart once China names a new defense minister. As part of the agreement between the two countries, senior U.S. military commanders, including those of Pacific forces in Hawaii, will be engaging with their Chinese counterparts.
The resumption of military talks was described as being “on the basis of equality and respect” in a readout published by Chinese state media.
During the meeting, President Biden reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to Taiwan’s sovereignty, and China’s President Xi emphasized that Taiwan remains a sensitive issue for China. Furthermore, China called for the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and support China’s peaceful reunification.
In addition to military discussions, the two leaders also agreed to establish an intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence and a working group on drug control. They also discussed the need to curb fentanyl production, prevent misuse of AI in military or nuclear operations, and address trade and sanctions issues between the two countries.
President Biden described the day of meetings with Xi as one of the most constructive and productive discussions they have had, highlighting the groundwork laid over the past months of diplomacy.
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