Joe Biden, Xi Jinping Agree To Hold First Ever Face-To-Face Summit

Washington: President Joe Biden and his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to schedule their first in-person summit throughout a generally tense cellphone name Thursday the place Xi warned america to not "play with fire" in Taiwan. Though this was their fifth cellphone or video name since Biden took workplace a yr and a half in the past, the summit can be their first in-person assembly as leaders. No element was given on the timing or location. Biden and Xi "discussed the value of meeting face-to-face and agreed to have their teams follow up to find a mutually agreeable time to do so," a US official stated, talking on situation of anonymity. Each side described the decision, which lasted two hours and 17 minutes, as a sturdy alternate on the numerous disputes between the world's two greatest financial powers. China's state-run Xinhua company stated Xi delivered harsh phrases on US coverage in direction of Taiwan, a democratic island with shut ties to america however which China considers a part of its territory. "Those who play with fire will eventually get burned," Xi was quoted as telling Biden, repeating language he employed after they spoke final November. "I hope the US side fully understands that." Tensions round Taiwan are steadily escalating amid fears that Xi may finally order an invasion to impose Beijing's rule. Within the newest flashpoint, Chinese language authorities are livid at unconfirmed plans by Biden ally and speaker of the Home of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to go to the island. Though US officers regularly go to Taiwan, separated by a slender strip of water from the Chinese language mainland, Beijing considers a Pelosi journey as a serious provocation. She's second in line to the US presidency and given her place might journey with navy transport. Washington will "bear the consequences" if the journey goes forward, China warned Wednesday. Through the name, Xi was quoted as telling Biden "the position of the Chinese government and people on the Taiwan issue is consistent." "It is the firm will of the over 1.4 billion Chinese people to firmly safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he stated. In response, Biden reassured Xi that US coverage, often known as "strategic ambiguity," was unchanged -- primarily favoring the established order in Taiwan, with Washington recognizing Chinese language sovereignty however opposing any enforcement, permitting the Taiwanese to retain their distinct rule. "On Taiwan, President Biden underscored that the United States policy has not changed and that the United States strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the White Home stated in an announcement. No transfer on tariffs Biden prides himself on an in depth relationship with Xi going again years, however it's getting arduous to masks deepening distrust between the 2 international locations. US officers stated Biden touched on a raft of delicate points, together with China's "genocide and forced labor practices" and its more and more aggressive navy posture throughout Asia. The White Home described Biden's outreach as a part of "efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication" and to "responsibly manage our differences and work together where our interests align." In response to the White Home, Biden's chief hope is to ascertain "guardrails" for the 2 superpowers. That is meant to make sure that whereas they sharply disagree on democracy, and are more and more rivals on the geopolitical stage, they'll keep away from open battle. The place to position the guardrails, nonetheless, is difficult amid so many unresolved disputes, together with a simmering commerce conflict begun beneath Donald Trump's presidency. One huge query nonetheless utterly unresolved is the commerce conflict began beneath Donald Trump, with 25 % import duties on billions of {dollars} of Chinese language merchandise. Regardless of hypothesis that Biden may quickly ease a few of these tariffs to try to decrease roaring inflation within the US financial system, there was no motion on the problem throughout his speak with Xi. "On the question of tariffs, President Biden explained to President Xi... core concerns with China's unfair practices which harm American workers and harm American families, but he did not discuss any potential steps he might take," the US official informed reporters. "It would be wrong to believe that somehow a decision on any next steps was somehow waiting for this conversation." (Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)