- US President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the virtual summit.
- Biden raised the issue of human rights in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
- Xi Jinping issued a warning to the United States on Taiwan’s neighboring policies.
The White House said in a statement that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed China’s practices in areas of friction in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang after a virtual meeting between the two of them for more than three hours.
The White House said: “President Biden is concerned about China’s practices in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as well as broader human rights issues.”
The White House stated that he also told Xi Jinping that the United States is still committed to the “One China” policy related to Taiwan and that the two countries have pledged to cooperate on energy and climate issues.
Read | Biden said he and China’s Xi Jinping agreed to abide by the Taiwan agreement
According to Chinese state media, Xi Jinping in turn told Biden that if “Taiwan independence” forces cross the “red line”, his country will have to take “decisive measures.”
China claims that autonomous Taiwan is its own. Beijing has vowed to place the island under Chinese control and use force when necessary.
The two leaders emphasized their responsibility to the world to avoid conflict.
Biden said at the beginning of the meeting:
In my opinion, as leaders of China and the United States, our responsibility is to ensure that the competition between our two countries does not turn to conflict, whether intentional or unintentional.
“It’s just simple, direct competition,” he added.
Through an interpreter, Xi Jinping said: “As the two largest economies in the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the United States need to strengthen communication and cooperation.”
The official Xinhua News Agency described the meeting as “frank, constructive, substantive and fruitful.”
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