US President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will take advantage of the G20 Summit in Indonesia next week to hold their first “face-to-face visit with Xi,” US National Security Advisor Sullivan said Thursday. 10) that the United States will send Taiwan The briefing of the conversation between Bai and Xi reassured Taiwan of its support for the United States.
“I am confident that Taiwan will feel reassured and reassured about our support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Taiwan Relations Act commitment to secure resources for Taiwan’s defense,” Sullivan told reporters at the White House. .
Biden said Wednesday that Taiwan and trade could be discussed at his meeting with Xi next week, but he didn’t mention military assistance to defend Taiwan, which he has said in the past. Asked how to interpret Biden’s statement, Sullivan said Biden hopes not to reveal what he means before meeting foreign leaders and prefers to express it in person.
A senior White House official said Biden will seek to build a line of defense against further deterioration in US-China relations, which have fallen to the lowest point in decades.
The official told the media earlier on the same day that the main goal of the meeting was to make him better understand each other’s priorities and intentions and to set rules for the future, which is what the two have pursued since their first call. in 2021. The goal.
China has so far not confirmed the visit to Xi and on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Beijing was taking the US proposal “seriously” and the two sides were in communication. He added that Beijing “is committed to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation with the United States”.
The Taiwan Strait question could have some weight in the meeting. Biden said Wednesday that he would meet with Xi while US policy towards Taiwan remained unchanged.
In addition to the Taiwan issue, White House officials said the two will discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, the recent North Korean nuclear test, the fight against climate change, and other areas where the two countries could work together.
But meeting the leaders in person is likely not going to lead to any concrete political progress, judging by Biden who said Wednesday he “won’t make big concessions in the talks.” The White House said the two sides will not release any joint statements.