WOODSIDE, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands Wednesday as they met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative conference on Wednesday.
The two leaders last spoke a year ago, and since then, already fraught ties between the nations have been further strained.
The outcome of Wednesday’s talks could have far-reaching implications for an anxious world that is grappling with global economic cross-currents from the pandemic, wars in the Middle East and Europe, upcoming elections in Taiwan and more. Follow live updates.
What to know
What is APEC anyway?
Biden’s goal for Xi meeting is to get U.S.-China communications back to normal
San Francisco hopes to rid its image of a city in decline as it hosts APEC
A fragile global economy is at stake as Biden and Xi meet
Biden and Xi stress need for mutual understanding
Biden and Xi are stressing the need for their nations to strengthen mutual understanding while cautioning that their interests will sometimes conflict.
The pair opened their face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay area with a solid handshake. Later, they sat at one long table together rather than at separate ones.
Even small details like floral arrangements were important for a meeting where protocol is of the utmost importance. Flowers on the table appeared to be evergreens.
Biden said the purpose of the meeting was to “understand each other.” He said, “As always, there’s no substitute to face-to-face discussions.” He added of Xi, “We’ve known each other for a long time. We haven’t always agreed.”
Biden also said that he wants “no misconceptions or miscommunications” and that the two leaders have to “ensure that competition doesn’t veer into conflict.”
Xi spoke of the need to strengthen cooperation to combat climate change but also condemned what he called rising “protectionism.”
Biden and Xi outline goals for meeting
Biden says the aim of the APEC summit is for leaders to “understand each other.” Xi says they bear “heavy responsibilities” for the world.
The two leaders made the comments Wednesday after shaking hands in their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.
Biden-Xi meeting opens with handshake
Biden and Xi have opened their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year with a solid handshake ahead of talks with far-reaching implications for a world grappling with economic cross currents, wars in the Middle East and Europe, tensions in Taiwan and more.
The two leaders, meeting at a bucolic country estate outside San Francisco, are looking to get communications back on track after a tumultuous year and to show the world that while they are global economic competitors, they’re not locked in a winner-take-all faceoff.
Since the two leaders last met, already fraught ties have been further strained by the U.S. downing of a Chinese spy balloon, differences on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, China’s hacking of a Biden official’s emails and other incidents.
Anti-Xi protesters march toward APEC site
A large crowd gathered in front of the Chinese consulate to condemn Xi has started marching toward Moscone Center, where main APEC events are being held.
They held signs reading “Free Hong Kong” and “Tibet belongs to Tibetans” and chanted “Free Tibet” and “Down with the CCP,” referring to the Chinese Communist Party. They started matching around 11 a.m. Wednesday local time.
Speakers implored the Biden administration to stand up to Xi and his human rights violations.
White House expects major announcements from Xi-Biden meeting
Ahead of the meeting between Biden and Xi, senior White House officials said Biden would walk away from the talks with major announcements expected on curbing the flow of chemicals used in the production of fentanyl and concrete steps to revive military to military communications.
One senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview aspects of the meeting, said Wednesday’s talks will stand out from the last time Biden and Xi spoke a year ago in Bali.
The official said there weren’t concrete agreements coming out of Bali, unlike what is expected on Wednesday.
— Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani
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