The American president, Joe Biden, and the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, met for the last time in Lima, Peru, showing harmony and some progress in which both recognized as “the most important bilateral relationship in the world.” Likewise, they have sent veiled messages to Donald Trump, who will assume power again in January and has adopted a confrontational speech towards Beijing. “The attempt to stop China will not succeed,” they say.
At the beginning of the meeting in Lima, at the close of the APEC leaders’ meeting, which both leaders attended, Xi assured that he is ready to work with the new Trump Administrationwho will take power on January 20, and work to “maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, as we strive for a stable transition.”
Xi also issued a message of caution that seemed more directed at Trump than the outgoing Biden: “The two countries must keep in mind the well-being of their two peoples and the common interest of the international communitymake wise decisions, continue to explore the best way for the two great nations to get along and achieve a long peaceful coexistence. “The attempt to stop China will not succeed. The United States has recently concluded its elections. China’s goal of a China-US relationship stable, healthy and sustainable has not changed,” he added.
For his part, Biden reflected on the “many hours” that in his four years in office and his three bilateral meetings he has spent speaking with Xi and the progress that has been made since the last meeting in Woodside (California) last year regarding the control of narcotics such as fentanyl or military communication.
As advice – for some a veiled message to Trump about how to resume the relationship with Beijing – he reflected: “We have not always agreed, but Our conversations have always been sincere and frank.. We have never made fun of each other. “We have been at the same level and I think that is vital.”
A historic agreement in Lima
According to the White House, Biden and Xi agreed this Saturday on “the need to maintain “human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons” and prevent the artificial intelligence (AI) system from taking part in those decisions.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a meeting with the press that this is the first time that This precept of nuclear doctrine is reaffirmed between the two great rival powers, something he described as very “significant” after the one hour and 40 minute meeting.
“We have to start somewhere, at basic principles, and build from there the need to develop a common base to reduce nuclear risk and a good starting point is the direct proposition that there must be human control in decisions about the use of nuclear weapons,” he indicated.
Pass the baton to Trump
During this trip to Peru, which will continue on Sunday with a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the G20 summit, the White House has tried to show an image of normalityensuring that Trump’s arrival has not been the protagonist of conversations with partners such as Japan or South Korea.
Sullivan reiterated that they do not comment on the possible policies that Trump adopts in international trade or foreign relations, but that “it is an obvious fact that on January 20 there will be a new Administration and he (Biden) reinforced the point that These next two months are a time of transition in the United States and a time when the stability of the US-China relationship is essential.”
The “art” of dialogue with China
This meeting has had a clear flavor of change of cycle and farewell and Sullivan, a key actor in complex relations with Beijing, who wove the threads of this meeting on a visit to China in August, showed unusual candor about how the Washington-Beijing link is cared forstrained by issues such as North Korea’s presence in Russia, support for the Kremlin’s military industry or territorial pressures in the South China Sea or against Taiwan.
“Leader-level relationships are vital to responsibly managing competition between the US and China. EThe tone is set to the highest. The teams receive directions from the top and the day-to-day relationship stems from an understanding reached between Presidents Biden and Xi. I think the personal dynamics have helped us manage the relationship,” Sullivan summarized.
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