Washington — President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation on Tuesday, as confirmed by the White House. This marks their first discussion since their in-person meeting last November.
During the call, the two leaders talked about artificial intelligence, counternarcotics, and climate issues, based on the White House's summary. A senior administration official mentioned that President Biden planned to emphasize the importance of peace and stability in Taiwan ahead of the upcoming inauguration of Lai Ching-te, who won the presidential election in January. Additionally, President Biden reiterated the U.S.'s commitment to the longstanding "One China" policy.
The White House described the conversation as "candid and constructive," covering various bilateral, regional, and global topics. Both leaders expressed their support for maintaining open communication channels and responsibly managing the relationship through high-level diplomacy and working-level consultations in the coming weeks and months.
During a recent call, Mr. Biden and Xi Jinping continued their efforts to maintain open lines of communication, building on their previous meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The two leaders discussed the importance of preventing unintended conflict and made progress on resuming military-to-military communications and combating the distribution of fentanyl.
Mr. Biden expressed concerns to Xi about China's support for Russia's actions in Ukraine and the South China Sea, particularly incidents involving Filipino vessels. The U.S. reiterated its commitment to defending the Philippines under a 1951 treaty. Additionally, the president highlighted the ongoing efforts to combat illegal narcotics trafficking and the need to restrict precursor chemicals used in the production of synthetic drugs.
As part of the dialogue between the two countries, senior U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are scheduled to travel to China for engagements in Guangzhou and Beijing. The exact timing of Blinken's visit is yet to be determined.
