President Joe Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the latest of many meetings with the economic powerhouse’s leader, with Biden inadvertently referring to an “alliance” with the country’s biggest competitor.
“We are the most important alliance — or the most important relationship in the entire world, and the way we interact with each other can impact the rest of the world,” Biden said, quickly correcting himself after using the friendly term on an important supporter. of Russia harassing US allies in the South China Sea and flooding the US with exports.
But he reiterated his long-held views on using diplomacy to avoid trouble.
“And so our two countries cannot allow this competition to spiral into conflict,” Biden said, reflecting on some of the many times the two leaders had met.
The Saturday afternoon meeting took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, taking place in Lima, Peru. It took about two hours.
It was Xi who referred to the US elections, as Biden again dodged questions about newly elected President Donald Trump, who has vowed to impose high tariffs on Chinese goods.
“The United States recently concluded its elections,” Xi said at the top of their meeting, which reporters were allowed to capture.
“China’s goal of a stable, healthy and lasting China-US relationship remains unchanged,” he said. “China is willing to work with the new US administration to maintain communications, expand cooperation and manage disagreements, so as to strive for a steady transition of China-US relations for the benefit of the two peoples.’
President Joe Biden (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) during their Saturday afternoon meeting in Lima, Peru, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum
The meeting took place on Xi’s compound: the Delfines Hotel & Convention Center, which is located next to the Chinese embassy in Lima.
The White House said Biden was forced to travel to Xi because there is a rotation for hosting duties “every time the leaders meet.”
“Last year the US hosted China at the Woodside Summit. Whoever hosts will choose the venue,” an official said.
But during their summit in Woodside, California, Biden did not let Xi come to his hotel.
And because the meeting took place at the Chinese delegation’s hotel, U.S. officials and reporters were ordered to turn off their phones for security reasons.
Before the Xi meeting, the Taiwanese staged a short meeting between Biden and their delegation member – former Vice Prime Minister Lin Hsin-i.
The Taiwanese posted a photo of the two men shaking hands, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the background, and said Biden and Lin had a “lively” conversation.
Lin “sincerely invited President Biden to visit Taiwan at his leisure in the future.”
A spokesperson for the National Security Council played down the interaction, telling DailyMail.com “it was just a handshake in the plenary chamber.”
ON THE TOUR OF CHINA: Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) had President Joe Biden (left) meet him at the hotel where the Chinese delegation stayed this week to attend APEC in Lima, Peru. The White House said this was because it was China’s turn to decide on a location
The Taiwanese on Friday hosted a brief meeting between Taiwan’s APEC representative, former Vice Prime Minister Lin Hsin-i (left) and President Joe Biden (right), ahead of Biden’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The White House had announced other meetings that Biden would hold on Friday – first with new Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba – ahead of the trilateral meeting with Japan and South Korea – and then a similar meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
APEC is one of the few international conferences where both China and Taiwan – under the name Chinese Taipei – both attend, but because China claims Taiwan is a territory, the democratically governed island president Lai Ching-te is not allowed to participate.
The Chinese have reacted angrily when US-Taiwan relations seemed too cozy.
After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in 2022, China sent warships and military aircraft to all sides of Taiwan and fired ballistic missiles into nearby waters.
Earlier that year, Biden told reporters during a trip to Tokyo that he would be willing to become militarily involved if China invaded Taiwan — drawing parallels between that threat and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Yes,” Biden said. “That’s a commitment we made,” the president responded.
Biden reiterated that the United States agrees with the so-called “One China” policy – that only the People’s Republic of China is “China,” and thus the US diplomatic relationship with Taiwan is unofficial.
“But the idea that it can be taken by force, just by force, is just not appropriate,” Biden said. “It will disrupt the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.”
Moreover, Biden said, “My expectation is that it won’t happen, it won’t be attempted.”
Asked to clarify the comment, a White House official responded: “As the president said, our policy has not changed. He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.”
At the very end of a press conference at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Biden was asked: “You did not want to get involved militarily in the conflict in Ukraine for obvious reasons. Are you prepared to deploy militarily to defend Taiwan, if that happens?’ – to which the president replied in the affirmative.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters that the US should not defend Taiwan’s independence.
China denounced Biden’s comments, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressing “strong dissatisfaction and determined opposition.”
“China has no room for compromise or concessions when it comes to issues relating to China’s core interests such as sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.