Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Joe Biden via video link in Beijing on November 16 (XINHUA)

On the morning of November 16, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. The two sides had thorough and in-depth communication and exchanges on issues of strategic, overarching and fundamental importance shaping the development of China-U.S. relations and on important issues of mutual interest.  

President Xi pointed out that both China and the U.S. are at critical stages of development, and the “global village” of humanity faces multiple challenges. As the world’s two largest economies and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the U.S. need to increase communication and cooperation, each run their domestic affairs well and, at the same time, shoulder their share of international responsibilities, and work together to advance the noble cause of world peace and development. This is the shared desire of the people of the two countries and around the world, and the joint mission of Chinese and American leaders. 

Jon Taylor, chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography and professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio said there was a level of cordiality of the meeting, with Xi saying that he was “very happy” to see his “old friend” at the beginning of the talks. And Biden saying “You and I have never been that formal with one another.” 

“As for virtual summit, it was candid and wide-ranging. The strategic and fundamental issues discussed weren’t going to be solved immediately, but at least they were addressed in one form or another. Responsible talking in an environment of respect always beats harsh rhetoric and conflict. Both leaders know that the two countries have a responsibility to the world to cooperate,” Taylor told Beijing Review. 

“I liked Xi’s use of metaphor when he compared China and the U.S. to two giant ships sailing in the ocean that will break waves and forge ahead together, without losing direction or speed, still less colliding with each other,” said Taylor. 

“The American attitude is a positive, friendly and constructive one, but there are two points worth further observing,” Wang Peng, associate research fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, commented by writing to Beijing Review. “The Chinese people hope that the U.S. will match its words with deeds.”  

Wang said that over the past 10 months under the Biden administration, we haven’t seen too many shifts from the Trump policy toward China, with many economic and political tensions remaining. The U.S. president has even sought to unite allies and continue to interfere with China’s domestic affairs such as Tibet and Xinjiang over human rights issues. Over the past year, in particular, the U.S. has been sending the wrong signals to Taiwan “independence” forces which have repeatedly tried to breach the one-China policy, Wang commented.  

“These actions are at odds with Biden’s statements during his virtual meeting with President Xi. Therefore, with the best of goodwill, we hope that the U.S. will implement Biden’s promises in its future diplomatic practices,” Wang said. 

During the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping said both China and the U.S. are at critical stages of development. In the view of Josef Gregory Mahoney, professor of Politics at East China Normal University in Shanghai, China is at the crossroads of its next big development push. The U.S. is at the crossroads of needing massive redevelopment while adjusting to the reality that it can no longer impose its will globally like before.  

“Both countries (and the rest of the world) are at the crossroads of struggles with COVID and climate change, and the need to foster a new multilateralism to ensure peace and progress. But crossroads are tricky. Keep matters stable and safe and there’s unlikely to be trouble there can’t be managed,” Mahoney told Beijing Review. 

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