Four Hours Of Talking To Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, President Biden: That's What The World Expects From Us

President Biden received President Xi Jinping. (Twitter/@POTUS)

JAKARTA - President Joe Biden discussed military communications issues, Taiwan, to cooperation with China, when accepting President Xi Jinping, as well as expressing readiness to compete with full responsibility.

The face-to-face meeting at Filoli Plantations, on the outskirts of San Francisco before the start of the APEC Summit, became the first in a year, discussing a number of issues that caused relations between the two countries to strain.

In his post on X after the meeting, President Biden said what he had been conveying had remained in effect after their meeting.

"Today, President Xi and I are taking concrete steps in the right direction," President Biden wrote on X as quoted November 16.

"The United States will compete with enthusiasm and responsibility with the People's Republic of China," he continued.

"We will protect our national security interests. We will defend our values. And we will work together if possible and for our interests," said President Biden.

"That's what the world hopes for us," he said.

During the meeting, one of the issues discussed by the two was the agreement to resume military-to-military communication between Beijing and Washington which he considered important.

According to him, it is important for both countries to have clear communication, to avoid miscalculation and conflict.

"Today, I announce the US and the RRT is continuing military-to-military communications," President Biden said. "The world expects this to happen to responsible countries," said President Biden.

In addition, the two leaders agreed to have a high-level communication channel, which allows them to communicate directly.

"He and I agree that each of us can receive a direct phone call and we will be hearing soon," President Biden said.

Meanwhile, the White House said President Biden raised issues of concern to Washington, including the detention of US citizens, human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as Beijing's aggressive activities in the South China Sea.

A US official described a dispute over Taiwan, a democratic island that China claims as its territory.

Today, President Xi and I took tangible steps in the right direction, and the case I've made all along stands:The United States will compete vigorously, and responsibly, with the People's Republic of China.We will protect our national security interests.We will stand up for… pic.twitter.com/HXyoVdvjk3

— President Biden (@POTUS) November 16, 2023

Today, President Xi and I take tangible steps in the right direction, and the case I've made all along stands: The United States will compete practically, and respondably, with the People's Republic of China. We will protect our national security concerns. We will stand up for... pic.twitter.com/HXyoVdvjk3

China's preference is to carry out a peaceful reunification with the Chinese island of Taiwan, President Xi told President Biden, according to the US official.

He continued, President Biden stressed the need for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The US official said President Biden argued to maintain the status quo and for China to respect the Taiwan election process.

"President Xi replied, 'See, peace is all fine, but at some point we need to move towards a more general resolution'," the official quoted President Xi as saying.

Meanwhile, Chinese state media reported that President Xi also urged the United States to stop sending weapons to Taiwan and support China's peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan.

President Xi told President Biden many things have happened since their last meeting a year ago in Bali, calling US-Chingkok relations the most important bilateral relationship in the world.

"For two big countries such as China and the United States, turning their backs on each other is not an option. It is unrealistic for one party to overhaul the other," he said.

It is known, after accepting President Xi Jinping, President Biden then welcomed the leaders of countries attending the APEC Summit.