Biden and Xi will meet next week in Indonesia, US confirms
- Session, to be held just ahead of G20 summit in Bali, would be the first in-person meeting between the two since Joe Biden became US president in January 2021
- No breakthroughs are expected, a US official says, but the main objective will be to open, and keep open, lines of communication
A long-anticipated meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, set for Monday in Indonesia, is expected to include discussions on Taiwan, human rights, Ukraine and harmful economic practices with a goal of “building a floor” under the strained relationship between the world’s two largest economies, a senior US official said Thursday.
No joint statement or major outcomes are expected out of the first face-to-face sit-down since Biden took office in January 2021 and the main purpose will be to open – and keep open – communication, the official added.
“One of the main objectives is really about deepening their understanding of one another’s priorities and intentions and, where possible, with the goal of reducing misunderstandings and misperceptions,” the official said.
“I don’t in any way think that the two leaders are going to sit down and be able to solve all their differences or problems. But I do think that some of these steps could be important along the way.”
The Monday face-to-face will be held ahead of the Group of 20 meeting of major economies on Indonesia’s tropical island of Bali on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss strategic stability, managing strategic risk and ways they can try to cooperate on issues of common concern – notably North Korea’s recent missile launches given Beijing’s concern over regional stability, and climate measures, with the COP27 global climate conference now under way in Egypt.