Joe Biden and Xi Jinping to hold virtual summit ‘next week’, with date to come
- The talks between the two leaders will take place as the US and China spar over Taiwan, and alarm grows in Washington over Beijing’s expanding nuclear arsenal
- The session won’t address the issue of whether the US consulate in Chengdu and the Chinese consulate in Houston will reopen
The long-distance summit comes as ties between the world’s two largest economies have quietly improved in recent months, even as the nations spar over Taiwan and alarm grows in Washington over Beijing’s expanding nuclear arsenal.
The exact date of the summit is still being negotiated, according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified.
The session will not address the issue of whether the US consulate in Chengdu and the Chinese consulate in Houston will reopen, one of the people added. Both buildings were closed in July last year amid tit-for-tat feuding between Washington and Beijing.
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US consulate in Chengdu shut down in response to closure of China’s diplomatic mission in Houston
White House and State Department spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment.