Biden says Xi meeting at G20 summit would discuss US-China ‘red lines’

On Taiwan, American leader declines to comment on whether he would confirm to his counterpart defending self-ruled island if Beijing attacked
Biden suggests he could also discuss China’s growing nuclear arsenal as well as ‘fair trade’ issues

US-China relations

Jacob Fromerin Washington

Published: 8:00am, 10 Nov 2022

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US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he would discuss American “red lines” over Taiwan among other issues during an expected meeting next week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

“Look, I’m not willing to make any fundamental concessions,” Biden said during a post-election press conference at the White House, when asked if he would tell Xi whether the US would defend the self-ruled island from a Chinese attack.

“What I want to do with him when we talk is lay out what each of our red lines are, understand what he believes to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be in the critical interests in the United States, and to determine whether or not they conflict with one another,” he said. “And if they do, how to resolve and how to work it out.”

The comments from Biden came just days before a much-anticipated meeting is expected to take place between him and Xi during next week’s Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, which would be the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since Biden took office in January 2021.

Washington and Beijing have yet to formally confirm that the meeting will happen, but both men are expected to attend the summit.

Biden’s comments also came as US-China antipathy over the question of Taiwan remains high, three months after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei and Beijing subsequently carried out large-scale, live-fire military drills around the island, which observers said was effectively a blockade.

Biden has said publicly multiple times as president that he would defend Taiwan if Beijing attacked it. But each time he has made those remarks, other administration officials have tried to walk back his comments and say they do not reflect a change in US policy.

For years, US policy on the question of Taiwan’s defence has been one of “strategic ambiguity” – that is, it is deliberately unclear if the American military would come to Taiwan’s aid in the event of an attack by China.

Biden, as president, is commander-in-chief of the US military.

On Wednesday, Biden declined to say whether he would confirm to Xi that the US was committed to defending Taiwan in the face of a Chinese attack.

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“I’m gonna have that conversation with him,” Biden said, adding: “The Taiwan doctrine has not changed at all.”

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will eventually unite the island with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing opposes other nations’ contacts with Taiwanese government officials.

Under official US policy, Washington does not recognise Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan but “acknowledges” that the claim exists.

The US has not had formal diplomatic relations with Taipei since 1979, when Washington switched its diplomatic recognition to Beijing.

But under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington maintains an unofficial relationship with Taipei and is obliged to sell Taiwan arms used in a “defensive character”.

Beyond Taiwan, Biden on Wednesday said China had been “sort of keeping their distance a little bit” from Russia as its war in Ukraine continues.

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Biden administration officials have repeatedly said they are watching closely to see whether Beijing is giving Moscow any aid in its war effort, especially after Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a “no-limits” partnership between their two nations soon before the invasion began.

Biden suggested he could also discuss China’s growing nuclear arsenal during his expected meeting with Xi, which has been another point of concern in Washington.

“I think talk about nuclear weapons and location, the number of them, and access, is important to discuss,” he said.

He added it “remains to be seen” whether Xi has “backed off of his initial judgment” that China should have the world’s most powerful military and the largest economy.

“He’s a long way from both,” Biden said.

Biden also said the two leaders would discuss “fair trade” issues during their expected meeting as well as China’s relationships with its neighbours, many of which are close allies of the US and have their own tensions and territorial disputes with Beijing.