The White House confirmed on Thursday that President Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, Nov. 14, at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. Although they have met virtually, it will be their first in-person meeting between the two since Mr. Biden took office.
A meeting between Biden and Xi had been under discussion by U.S. and Chinese officials in the weeks leading up to the summit, as the U.S. aims to navigate their relationship with China. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement: “The leaders will discuss efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between the United States and the [People’s Republic of China], responsibly manage competition, and work together where our interests align, especially on transnational challenges that affect the international community. The two leaders will also discuss a range of regional and global issues.”
During a press conference, Biden said he has told Xi in the past that he’s “looking for competition, not conflict,” adding, “and so what I want to do with him when we talk is lay out what each of our red lines are and understand what he believes to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be the critical interests of the United States, and to determine whether or not they conflict with one another … And if they do, how to resolve it and how to work it out.” The president said he anticipated that the two leaders will discuss Taiwan, as well as China’s relationship with other countries in the region. The two leaders spoke by phone in July for more than two hours over tensions in Taiwan.
Biden embarked on a three-part trip to Egypt, Cambodia and Indonesia, and will first stop in Egypt for the COP27 United Nations climate change summit, then head to Cambodia this weekend for the annual U.S.-ASEAN summit and East Asia Summit, and finally travel to Bali for the G20 summit.
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