ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE: US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday (Nov 14) his goal during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week is to resume normal communications between the two superpowers, including military-to-military contacts.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for San Francisco, Biden said he is trying to alter the US relationship with China for the better, after a period of strained ties.
Biden and Xi are to meet on Wednesday in the San Francisco area during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. It will be only the second in-person meeting between the two leaders since Biden took office in January 2021.
Asked how he would measure success at the talks with Xi, Biden said:
“To get back on a normal course, corresponding and being able to pick up the phone and talk to one another in a crisis, and being able to make sure that our militaries still have contact with one another.”
Aboard Air Force One en route to San Francisco, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Biden and Xi would also talk about the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza as well as US efforts to support Ukraine in its battle to repel Russian invaders.
“They can be frank and forthright with one another, I fully expect that that will be the case,” Kirby said.
He said Biden is “not going to be afraid to confront where confrontation is needed on certain issues where we don’t see eye-to-eye” but also will look for areas to cooperate on such as climate change.
Source: CNA
