President Biden Voices Concerns Over Xinjiang, To Hong Kong; President Xi Reminds Taiwan Red Line

Illustration of President Joe Biden with President Xi Jinping. (Antara/Reuters/Lintao Zhang/Pool)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, amid warming relations between the two countries recently.

President Biden said at the start of the virtual meeting that he and Xi have a responsibility as leaders to ensure relations between China and the United States do not lead to open conflict.

Meanwhile, President Xi said the two countries face many common challenges and must improve communication and cooperation.

After a virtual meeting that lasted three hours, the White House said the two leaders discussed China's practices in Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang.

"President Biden voiced concerns about China's practices in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as human rights more broadly", the White House said.

In addition, President Biden also told President Xi, the United States remains committed to the "One China" policy regarding Taiwan, the White House said, and the two pledged to work together on energy and climate issues.

Meanwhile, President Xi in turn told President Biden his country must take "firm measures" if "pro-Taiwan independence" forces cross a "red line", Chinese state media said.

China claims self-governing Taiwan as its own. Beijing itself has promised to bring the island under Chinese control, by force if necessary.

Nevertheless, both leaders emphasized their responsibility to the world to avoid conflict.

"For me, our responsibility as leaders of China and the United States is to ensure that our competition among our countries does not lead to conflict, whether intentional or not", President Biden said at the start of the talks.

"Just a simple and direct competition", he continued.

Speaking through an interpreter, President Xi Jinping said, "As the world's two largest economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the United States need to improve communication and cooperation".

For information, the official Xinhua news agency described the meeting as "frank, constructive, substantive and fruitful".