The presidents of the United States, Joe Biden, and that of China, Xi Jinping, will meet next Wednesday at a location in San Francisco Bay (California), unspecified for security reasons.
The meeting will take place on the margins of the meeting for economic cooperation of the countries of the Asia-Pacific area. Those responsible for the US administration indicated that they do not expect to offer great results, but this face to face, the first in just over a year after the one they held at the G-20 in Bali (Indonesia), can serve to stabilize relations between both powers on key issues, as well as the attempt to get Beijing, a good ally and with weight over Iran, to agree to contribute to reducing tension in the Middle East and for Tehran not to get involved in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. .
One of the main goals that have been set is to establish lines of communication, especially between both armies to avoid misunderstandings and dangerous reactions. This objective takes into account the tension that was generated a few months ago when the Americans shot down Chinese spy balloons detected in US space.
Among other relevant issues in this discussion, White House sources indicated in a telephone press conference that Biden will warn his counterpart against possible electoral interference in the elections that Taiwan will hold next year, a warning that he will extend to the elections that will take place in the United States. United in November 2024. Also prominently on the agenda is the war in Ukraine unleashed by Russia's invasion, in which Beijing's equidistance has only played in favor of Vladimir Putin and his imperialist ambitions.
“We know that efforts to shape reform in China in recent decades have failed. We hope, however, that China remains a great power on the world stage for the rest of our lives,” these official sources stated.
“And we think that diplomacy is the clear route to avoid erroneous perceptions, establish avenues for dialogue, avoid surprises and be able to explain our competitive steps,” they insisted. “As the president has repeated, trade competition should not be a confrontation or a new cold war,” they stressed.
“President Biden is determined to take the necessary mechanisms to restore what we consider essential communications between the United States and China in the military field,” they stated. These direct military communications are seen as an essential part of lowering the temperature between both powers after they were triggered by a series of crises.
These sources highlighted, as a beneficial factor, the long time the two presidents have known each other. They already coincided at another time, at a time when they both served as vice presidents.
Xi's trip to San Francisco marks the Chinese leader's first visit to the United States in six years. It was in 2017 when Xi himself attended a luxury dinner offered by the then US president, Donald Trump, at his Mar-a-Lago residence, in Palm Beach (Florida).
The option of San Francisco, instead of preparing a visit to Washington, is due to a practical issue and the logistics already set up for the economic meeting. But, in addition, the White House seeks to strike a chord with Xi's sentimentality. This Californian city on the bay was one where he visited in 1985, on his first trip to the United States. He then served as delegate of agriculture for his country.
“It was the first place he was as a young leader of the Communist Party,” these sources indicated. “This location offers aspects that would not have been seen on a visit to the federal capital,” they reiterated.
