Biden And Xi Jinping Discuss Bilateral And Global Issues In Constructive Call

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including areas of cooperation and areas of difference, the White House said on Tuesday. The conversation, which lasted 105 minutes, is the first phone call between the two leaders since their summit meeting in Woodside, California last November.

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The call builds on previous meetings between US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and the Communist Party of China, Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok on January 27 and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with Wang in Munich in February this year. The last phone call between the two leaders was in July 2022.

A senior administration official highlighted the importance of intense diplomacy to manage tensions and prevent unintended conflict. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said that the two leaders encouraged continued progress on issues discussed at the Woodside Summit, including counter-narcotics cooperation, ongoing military-to-military communications, talks to address artificial intelligence-related risks, and continuing efforts on climate change and people-to-people exchanges.

During the call, Biden emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, reaffirmed the importance of the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, raised concerns over China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and its impact on European and trans-Atlantic security, and emphasised the US enduring commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Biden also raised continued concerns about China’s unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices, which harm American workers and families. He stressed that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced US technologies from being used to undermine America's national security without unduly limiting trade and investment. The president also repeated his call for China to release US citizens who are wrongfully detained or under exit bans.

The two leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication and responsibly manage the relationship through high-level diplomacy and working-level consultations in the weeks and months ahead, including during upcoming visits by Secretary Yellen and Secretary Blinken.

A senior administration official said that there are areas of cooperation where the interests of the two countries align, such as counter-narcotics, risk and safety issues related to AI, resumption of military-to-military communication channels, and climate issues. The US and China need to maintain close consultation with law enforcement at the technical level to drive substantive law enforcement action.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. The US has already expressed its concerns about China's support for Russia's work in Ukraine and its efforts to help Russia reconstitute its defence industrial base.

On economic and trade issues, Biden will likely reiterate concerns about China's unfair economic practices and convey that the US will continue to take actions to protect its economic and national security interests. This includes ensuring a fair playing field for American workers as well as preventing technology from being used to undermine national security.

In many conversations with Xi, Biden has consistently underscored the critical importance of respect for human rights. They expect Biden will again raise concerns regarding the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy, PRC human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang.

Following the leader’s call, Cabinet-level diplomacy will continue to advance US interests through visits to China by Secretary of Treasury Yellen in the coming days, Secretary of State Blinken in the coming weeks. A Secretary Defence-Minister of Defence call is also expected soon.