Biden said Wednesday's talks with the Chinese president were 'some of the most constructive and productive discussions we've had'
By Nicole Gaudiano and Rebecca Morin
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck deals to restore military-to-military communications, reduce the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., and jointly focus on the risks and safety issues with artificial intelligence.
Biden announced the moves during a solo press conference following his high-stakes meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
“We're in a competitive relationship, China and the United States,” Biden said. “But my responsibility is to make … this rational and manageable so it doesn't result in conflict.”
The summit follows a series of incidents that have chilled the U.S.-China relationship, from the Chinese spy balloon that drifted across the U.S. to China’s burgeoning relationship with Iran and U.S. intellectual property concerns.
This was the second face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Biden came into office, but the seventh overall interaction.
The two leaders held a bilateral meeting, working lunch followed by a walk at the Filoli estate, a historic country house with lavish gardens, in San Mateo County.
Biden had set low expectations for the meeting, telling reporters on Tuesday that he hoped to restore normal communications with Xi and between the countries’ militaries. China halted those military communications with the U.S. in August 2022, after then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
'Important progress
While the two leaders have had a frosty relationship for the past several months, Biden said Wednesday’s meetings were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we've had.”
“I've been meeting with President Xi since both of us were vice presidents over 10 years ago,” Biden said. “Our meetings have always been candid and straightforward. We haven't always agreed, but they've been straightforward. And today builds on the groundwork we’ve laid over the past several months of high level diplomacy between our teams."
“We've made some important progress, I believe,” Biden added.
Biden and Xi also discussed their views on Russia’s war with Ukraine, as well as the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Although Biden and Xi were able to find agreement on some issues, Biden said he also brought up issues of concern for the U.S., including the detained citizens, human rights and China’s actions in the South China Sea.
Crack Down on Fentanyl
Biden said Xi agreed to crack down on the flow of chemical ingredients of fentanyl and pill presses that are being shipped from China to the Western Hemisphere.
Fentanyl deaths have risen in the U.S. and Biden has made it a priority to stop the flow of the drug from coming into the country. In 2022, there were nearly 110,000 fatal drug overdoses in the U.S., two-thirds of which were owed to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
“It's going to save lives and I appreciate President Xi's commitment on this issue,” Biden said.
When asked whether Biden trusts Xi in this issue, Biden said it's his job as president to manage the relationship and to find a place in issues that they can come together on, such as fentanyl.
“I think I know the man, I know his modus operandi. He has a different view than I haven't a lot of things, but he's been straight,” Biden said. “The thing that I find most assuring is he raised and I fully agree that if either one of us have any concern… about anything between our nations or happening in our region, we should pick up the phone and call one another and I’ll take the call. That's an important progress.”
After the carefully orchestrated series of events Wednesday, Biden made an off-the-cuff remark at the press conference that risks upsetting Chinese officials. Asked by a reporter if he still considered Xi to be a dictator, as Biden referred to Xi at a fundraiser over the summer, Biden replied, "Look, he is."