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China’s President Xi Jinping has informed his US counterpart Joe Biden that Beijing was ready to work with Donald Trump’s incoming administration to handle variations within the turbulent US-China relationship.
The Chinese language and US presidents met on the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation discussion board in Lima, Peru on Saturday, in what is anticipated to be their closing assembly as leaders earlier than Biden’s time period ends in January. In his opening remarks earlier than their personal assembly, Xi mentioned the US-China relationship had seen “ups and downs” over the previous 4 years however had remained largely “secure”.
“China is able to work with the brand new US administration to take care of communication, increase co-operation, and handle variations . . . for the advantage of the 2 peoples,” Xi informed Biden.
Biden mentioned the US-China relationship was crucial “alliance” on this planet, earlier than correcting himself and saying it was the “most vital relationship”.
Repeating certainly one of his inventory phrases when assembly Xi, Biden added: “Our two nations can’t let any of this competitors veer into battle . . . Over the previous 4 years I feel we’ve confirmed it’s potential to have this relationship.”
Relations between the US and China plummeted over the previous 4 years, reaching their lowest stage in many years after then-US Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in 2022 and a Chinese language spy balloon flew over the US final yr. Relations have since stabilised, however the superpowers stay at odds over many points.
US nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned the leaders had a “candid” alternate about co-operation, together with on counter-narcotics, but additionally lined areas of great divergence, comparable to China’s assist for Russia’s defence industrial base.
Sullivan mentioned Biden and Xi had reached an vital settlement on “the necessity to preserve human management over the choice to make use of nuclear weapons”, which he mentioned was the primary time that China had made such a pledge.
“We’ve generated one thing significant immediately,” Sullivan mentioned. “It’s not the tip of the road, however it’s the beginning of one thing that we hope might be carried ahead.”
In its readout of the assembly, China’s overseas ministry mentioned the leaders “burdened the necessity to preserve human management over the choice to make use of nuclear weapons”.
Bonnie Glaser, a China professional on the German Marshall Fund, mentioned the settlement was “essential” and signalled a recognition in Beijing that “lively measures ought to be taken bilaterally to manage harmful safety dangers”.
“Additionally it is the primary settlement ever signed by the US and China involving nuclear weapons,” mentioned Glaser. “Hopefully, it will likely be adopted by others.”
The assembly in Lima was the third in particular person between Biden and Xi as leaders, and their first because the Apec discussion board in San Francisco final yr, the place they agreed to place a “flooring” below strained ties.
It additionally got here two months earlier than Trump will start a second time period as US president. In latest days, the president-elect has named officers with powerful stances on China for prime positions, together with Florida congressman Mike Waltz as nationwide safety adviser and Florida senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state.
Trump additionally threatened to impose tariffs of greater than 60 per cent on all Chinese language exports throughout the marketing campaign.
Specialists are ready to see whether or not Elon Musk — who has grow to be near Trump and who produces and sells Tesla vehicles in China — will urge the president to take a softer method in direction of Beijing.
Xi repeated his mantra that China needed to work with the US, including: “main nation competitors shouldn’t be the underlying logic of the instances”.
He additionally pushed again towards the thought of decoupling and US measures to disclaim China entry to superior semiconductor-related applied sciences, which is named the “small yard, excessive fence” coverage.
“‘Small yard, excessive fences’ isn’t what a significant nation ought to pursue,” Xi informed Biden.
Sullivan mentioned the export controls have been narrowly focused at high-end applied sciences associated to Us nationwide safety considerations.
