President Joe Biden on Monday told Chinese President Xi Jinping that their responsibility as leaders of the US and China is to ensure that competition between their respective nations “does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended”.
Speaking at the outset of a virtual summit with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Biden said the relationship between the world’s two largest economies should be one of “simple, straightforward competition,” and suggested that he and Mr Xi needed to establish guidelines for that competition.
“It seems to me we need to establish some commonsense guardrails, to be clear and honest where we disagree, and work together where our interests intersect, especially on vital global issues like climate change,” Mr Biden said, calling the establishment of such constraints “responsible world leadership”.
“We have a responsibility to the world, as well as to our people. It’s why we believe … all countries have to play by the same rules of the road,” he continued, adding later that that belief was why the US would “always…stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners”.
Mr Xi, through a translator, replied that the two countries “face multiple challenges together” and must “increase communication and cooperation,” both as the world’s two top economies and as permanent members of the UN Security Council.
“A sound and steady China-U.S. relationship is required for advancing our two countries’ respective development and for safeguarding a peaceful and stable international environment, including finding effective responses to global challenges such as climate change…and the Covid pandemic,” Mr Xi said.
Monday’s virtual meeting was Mr Biden’s first face-to-face communication with Mr Xi since he took office in January, though the two leaders have held several phone calls. The meeting was conducted through secure videoconference because Mr Xi has not left Chinese soil in more than two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
