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Xi Jinping criticises America’s China policy in rare phone call with Joe Biden
US position on China has resulted in “serious difficulties” in bilateral ties and goes against the fundamental interests of the two countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US counterpart Joe Biden in a telephone call on Friday
America’s China policy has resulted in “serious difficulties” in bilateral ties and goes against the fundamental interests of the two countries and the common interests of the world, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US counterpart Joe Biden in a telephone call on Friday.
The conversation ended a seven-month gap in direct communication between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies. Beijing said the phone call took place on Washington’s invitation. The last time the two leaders had spoken was on February 12.
“The US’s China policy has resulted in serious difficulties in bilateral relations and runs counter to the fundamental interests of the peoples in the two countries and the common interests of all countries,” Xi told Biden.
Xi Jinping pointed out that whether “they (China and the US) can handle their relationship well bears on the future of the world, and it is a question of the century to which the two countries must provide a good answer”.
A White House readout on the Biden-Xi phone call said Washington and Beijing needed to ensure that “conflict” between the two countries is avoided. “President Biden underscored the United States’ enduring interest in peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict,” it said.
Earlier in the day, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported that “Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday morning took a phone call from his US counterpart, Joseph R. Biden, and the two leaders held candid, in-depth and broad strategic communication and exchanges on bilateral relations and relevant issues of shared interest”.
Besides frosty ties over a range of issues, from trade to human rights to transparency over the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, Friday’s call between Xi and Biden took place in the backdrop of rapid developments in Afghanistan where the Taliban group swept to power in mid-August.
Earlier this week, the Taliban announced the formation of an interim government in Afghanistan.
Chinese official media quoted Biden as saying that the US had no intention to change the one-China principle, and it was ready to engage in more candid exchanges with China to identify priorities for bilateral cooperation to avoid misunderstanding, miscalculation and accidental conflict.
The US, Biden reportedly said, looked forward to strengthening communication and cooperation with China on climate change and other important issues.
Urging an early easing of China-US ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “Relevant government agencies of China and the US could advance collaboration and tap more cooperation potential, so as to add more positive factors to the bilateral relationship.”
The Chinese president suggested that on the basis of respecting each other’s core concerns and managing differences, the two sides “continue with contact and dialogue, and advance coordination and cooperation on climate change, epidemic prevention and control, economic recovery as well as major international and regional issues”.
“China and the US should show a broad perspective, shoulder big responsibilities, and bring bilateral relations back to the right track of steady development as soon as possible, so as to better benefit the people in both countries and around the world,” Xi said.
