Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping Talk Yields Agreements
Are you worried about U.S.-China relations?
Updated Nov. 16, 2023, 1:30 p.m. EST
- President Biden and President Xi emerged from their meeting with an agreement to cooperate moving forward. The hours-long talk yielded understandings that could introduce stability to the relationship, according to analysts.
- The nations agreed to resume high-level military-to-military dialogue, which was paused after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year. Biden expressed relief that the talks would be back up and running.
- In an address to U.S. business leaders, the Chinese president said there is "plenty of room for our corporations, and we are fully able to help each other succeed and achieve win-win outcomes."
- In a news conference after their meeting, Biden said he would not lean towards taking a lighter stance on China. When describing the relationship between him and Xi, he said:
"I know the man, I know his modus operandi. He's a dictator in the sense that he — he is a guy who runs a country that — it's a communist country that is based on a form of government totally different from ours."
What's the story?
- Biden is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco from Nov. 15-17.
- While there is an "agreement in principle" for the two to meet, Xi has not yet confirmed his attendance. Beijing has suggested that Xi's attendance depends on the U.S. showing "sufficient sincerity."
- The leaders have not convened since last year at the G20 summit in Bali.
- APEC is a group of 21 member economies that accounts for roughly 62% of global gross domestic profit and half of international trade. Member countries include Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, and Indonesia.
- Negative views of China have grown in America across both dominating political parties. Americans widely see China as the greatest threat to the nation, according to the Pew Research Center.
What is expected?
- Observers believe the two leaders will strive to stabilize the tension between the two nations, but don't expect any major revelations. The planned meeting comes at a time of high tension between the two countries over issues like Taiwan and the South China Sea.
- Some experts have pointed to the increase in commercial flights between the two countries and steps towards reducing the flow of fentanyl chemicals from China as signs that the relationship may be showing small signs of improvement.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng as well. She said that it was "not practical" to decouple the two economies, but acknowledged that the U.S. was decreasing its dependence on China.
- The meeting follows an arms control discussion between China and the U.S. that occurred last Monday, in which the two powers discussed nuclear weapons.
What people are saying
- Victor Cha, an Asia expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said:
"It's going to be very business-like, very hard nosed - a lot on the agenda that they're both going to be trying to work through. But at the same time, I guess, talking is better than not talking."
- Matthew Goodman, the White House coordinator for the 2011 U.S.-hosted APEC summit, said:
"There are a lot of concerns about China's economic conditions and its policies in the region. I don't think they're going to explicitly try and twist the knife as it were, but I think they will try to show by comparison that the U.S. is growing well."
- Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, said:
"I think just having real communication is the biggest deliverable and possibly a step toward a situation in which if there is a crisis the two sides can agree to actually talk immediately."
- Dina Smetlz, a senior fellow for public opinion and foreign policy at the Chicago Council, noted that a record level of Americans currently see China as a critical threat to the U.S. The Chicago Council has been polling American views on China since 1990. Smetlz continued:
"It's also the first time in any of our polls that we saw that a majority — some of it's a slim majority — of Republicans, Democrats and independents all see China as a threat."
Are you worried about U.S.-China relations?
-Emma Kansiz & Jamie Epstein
(Photo Credit: Reuters)
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China doesn't need to be our enemy, but they're clearly not interested in being our friend. Hopefully Biden and Xi can warm things up a bit and find common ground on trade, security, and climate action, if nothing else.
We should never trust Xi or his government, but that doesn't mean we can't find ways to work together for the betterment of both nations and the world. However, continually taking an antagonistic stance like Haley and Trump seem to want is never going to help us because China doesn't respond well to threats and sanctions.
Only a fool would not be worried about our relations with China.
The United States has many issues of serious concern about China. Most of the most significant issues fall into one of four categories:
1. Trade & Economic Practices
2. Human Rights and Democracy
3. Security & Military
4. Cooperative Global Stewardship
There are some issues not in those four like cooperation in Space Exploration and with respect to the International Space Station.
It is best to practice diplomacy and work to resolve issues of common interest and then onto issues of increasing concern such as trade practices, and onto issues concerning security of America and its allies and the Human Rights Issues.
We have given office office of the presidency and the president's team considerable power and trust. Biden and his team have already proven their skill in repairing and revitalizing the country's relationship with NATO countries. Let's trust they can improve our relationship with China even if some important issues like Human Rights need to be temporarily placed on the backburner.
• Trade and Economic Practices: The United States accuses China of engaging in abusive, unfair, and illegal trade and economic practices that harm American workers and businesses. These include intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, subsidies for state-owned enterprises, currency manipulation, dumping, and non-tariff barriers. The United States also seeks to address the trade imbalance and the large U.S. trade deficit with China.
• Human rights and Democracy: The United States is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in China, especially the repression of ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the Tibetans in Tibet. The United States also condemns the erosion of autonomy and freedoms in Hong Kong, the crackdown on pro-democracy activists and media, and the threats and coercion against Taiwan. The United States supports the universal values of human dignity, democracy, and rule of law, and calls on China to respect its international obligations and commitments.
• Security and Military: The United States views China as a strategic competitor and a potential adversary in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The United States is concerned about China's military modernization, expansion, and assertiveness, especially in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, where China has territorial disputes with its neighbors. The United States also opposes China's nuclear proliferation, cyberattacks, espionage, and influence operations that undermine the sovereignty and security of other countries.
• Cooperative Global Stewardship: The United States and China have some shared interests and challenges in areas such as climate change, global public health, non-proliferation, and counter-terrorism. The United States seeks to cooperate with China on these issues when it is in the U.S. interest, but also to hold China accountable for its actions and responsibilities in the international system. The United States is wary of China's growing influence and ambitions in multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, and in various regional fora, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the African Union (AU)⁴.
Sources:
(Note: MSN links are flakey. For example today the link points to Bloomberg News which is behind a Paywall but we can read the article eventually that ability is gone. articles not behind a paywall is fine. Working on it.)
(1) U.S. Relations With China - United States Department of State. https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-china/
(2) China–United States relations - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93United_States_relations
(3) US biz groups selling $40K tickets to dine with China’s Xi Jinping: ‘Unconscionable’. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/us-biz-groups-selling-40k-tickets-to-dine-with-china-s-xi-jinping-unconscionable/ar-AA1jVGpI
(4) Xi-Biden Meeting Could Establish a “Floor” for US-China Relations. https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2023/11/xi-biden-meeting-could-establish-a-floor-for-us-china-relations.html
(5) US-China Rivalry Worsens Despite Talks, Report to Congress Finds. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-china-rivalry-worsens-despite-talks-report-to-congress-finds/ar-AA1jURNn
(6) US-China relations | South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/topics/us-china-relations
Force US Manufacturers to close their sweat shops in China and open Factories in the USA for American workers.
The only reason China has the economy that they do is because the owners of these sweat shops pour money there.
China was not a threat before, but it is now-and we can thank the Regan and Bush administrations for that!
Oh yes! Republican Corporate bought Leadership, at it's finest!
There are problems with the relationship caused by both sides. Trump whining about China didn't help and RepublicaNazi reactions during the pandemic didn't help, but I'm not willing to abandon Taiwan.
So we are giving up everything because we have a president who is afraid to disobey the hand that made him wealthy
China lies, Biden's personal banker has permanent smile.
Who really knows what informal agreement was made, what muscle flexing was demonstrated, what subtle threats were floated. I believe the two leaders came away with a better understanding of each other if nothing else.
Joe needs to not publicly call Xi a dictator......... its really not presidential.
'Beijing has suggested that Xi's attendance depends on the U.S. showing "sufficient sincerity."'
How about let's see some sincereity from Xi!
Or-and here's a novel idea! Fine every U.S. Factory owner 1 million dollars a day until they close their sweat shops and make them re-open their factories in the United States.
We have it in our power to tank the ecnonomy of China!
I worry about Biden's ability to read between the lines. I watch him with Iran and he's totally ignorant when it comes to understanding their regime. He thinks they'll play nice with a nuclear deal. That depraved regime won't hesitate to see a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv or a U.S. City.
Have no concerns with current admistration but if MEGA wins big in next election have massive concerns.
We have a hard time controlling our Colonialism, but no one else should do that. We have a tendency to do a lot of name calling to other countries. We want to be the dominant world controller. We enjoy Bullying, due to our size. If we hadn't step on many countries, we would have better working relations. We are afraid of China becoming the world supplier. Yet we allow our industries to depend on China and most of Asia's low wages to produce products we need and require here. Just so these companies make a larger profit. We are the scatter brained ones. We would rather supply countries with war products rather than invest into our own country. Doesn't matter which party. We thrive on manufacturing war products and then asking Congress to pay those big dollars to the manufacturers. We send our armed forces in just about every minor country, but we don't like it when China intervenes with their military or industrial folks. Yes, I worry about our relations with China and Russia and Iran. But I am just one person, my power is in my vote. It is only one vote. Right now not one Party is in for developing and restoring our country. It is almost like where or who can we step on the send in our military. So our war machine is back in business. Sorry, I had to vent. Yes, I fly my American Flag every day. I love my country, but not very many of our politicians.
Need less tension!
Not at the moment but will be if Trump gets elected.
Only concerned if Trump gets elected!
I absolutely don't like us cozying up with China, BUT there are already 2 wars going on and we don't need to start another one with OUR country as well. Diplomacy until Russia/Ukraine & Israel/Palestine conflicts are resolved.
It's the game of politics! And this administration has failed terribly in showing a leadership role!
China own Biden.