Biden and Xi Jinping hold phone call ahead of Yellen's trip to China
- In Reports
- 10:45 PM, Apr 02, 2024
- Myind Staff
US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephonic conversation on Tuesday, their first since a November summit in California, Chinese state media reported.
During the call with Xi, the first such phone meeting since July 2022, Biden raised a host of U.S. concerns, according to a White House readout of the call.
The two leaders discussed China-US relations and mutual interests, including Taiwan, China's relationship with Russia, and the recent implementation of a national security law in Hong Kong.
According to a statement from the White House, the US President raised concerns about what Washington described as China’s “unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices. The president also told Xi that he would continue to take necessary actions to block China’s access to U.S. technology if it poses a national security risk.
Biden emphasized that “the United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security, without unduly limiting trade and investment,” the White House said.
During the call with Xi, Biden urged China to increase efforts in fulfilling its obligations to stop the trafficking of illegal narcotics and to take further steps to regulate the export of precursor chemicals, as reported by AP. This commitment was initially made during the leaders' summit convened in Woodside, California, last year, which coincided with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.
In the call, Biden reiterated caution to Xi regarding any interference in the upcoming 2024 elections in the US, as well as against persisting malicious cyberattacks targeting critical American infrastructure, as disclosed by a senior US administration official who provided a preview of the call anonymously. Additionally, Biden expressed apprehensions about human rights issues in China, such as the restrictive national security law in Hong Kong and the treatment of minority groups. He also brought attention to the situation of Americans detained in China or facing restrictions on leaving the country.
Biden further emphasized concerns to China regarding its defense collaboration with Russia, particularly as Russia aims to revitalise its industrial capabilities amidst its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, Biden urged Beijing to leverage its influence over North Korea to help restrain the isolated and unpredictable nuclear power.
In their conversation, the two leaders addressed Taiwan, particularly in anticipation of the upcoming inauguration of Lai Ching-te, the island's president-elect, who has pledged to uphold its de facto independence from China. Biden reaffirmed the United States' longstanding "One China" policy and reiterated the nation's opposition to any coercive measures aimed at subjugating Taiwan under Beijing's authority.
The telephone discussion occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the South China Sea and precedes the inauguration of Taiwan's new president next month. It also comes before Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's scheduled visit to China on Thursday, as well as Secretary of State Antony Blinken's forthcoming trip in the weeks ahead.
Image source: Indian Express
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