Joe Biden makes ‘candid’ call to China’s Xi Jinping, 1st contact in months

United States President Joe Biden spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday amid soaring tensions over cybersecurity and other issues, with both sides describing the nearly 90-minute long conversation as “candid.” The two leaders agreed to engage “openly and straightforwardly on areas of mutual interest and areas “where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge.”  President Biden’s second call to Xi Jinping since assuming office was part of ongoing US efforts to “responsibly manage competition” with China, the White House said.

US and China have traded charges over cybersecurity breaches, the COVID-19 pandemic and what Washington calls as “coercive and unfair” trade practices.

A White House official told reporters that Biden’s tone during the call was “respectful” and “familiar and candid.”

China’s state-run news agency Xinhua said the two leaders had a “candid, in-depth and extensive strategic” conversation on bilateral ties and “relevant issues of mutual interest.”

Xi said the China and US cooperation will benefit the world and improving ties was “not a choice question that whether it needs to be done well, but a required question that how to do it well.”

“Chinese-U.S. confrontation will bring disaster to both countries and the world,” Xi added.fc

The Chinese leader said stressed dialogue to “promote the coordination and cooperation” on climate change, COVID-19 and other global issues. Biden said that the two countries must not let competition “veer into conflict,” emphasising there was no change in Amerca’s “one-China policy,” according to Xinhua.

The US is prepared to have more “candid exchanges and constructive discussions” with China and bring relations back on track.

The first call between Biden and Jinping about seven months ago had failed to bring about a thaw in US-China relations, with both sides trading on-camera barbs against each other during the Biden administration’s first face-to-face meeting with Chinese officials earlier this year.