President Biden and President Xi Jinping held a productive summit in Woodside, California, where they tackled various bilateral and global challenges. The leaders engaged in a candid and constructive discussion, addressing areas of potential cooperation while exchanging views on points of difference.
One of the key highlights of the summit was the resumption of bilateral cooperation to combat global illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking, particularly synthetic drugs like fentanyl. Both leaders welcomed the establishment of a working group for ongoing communication and law enforcement coordination on counternarcotics issues. President Biden emphasized that this step would advance the U.S. effort to counter the evolving threat of illicit synthetic drugs and reduce their availability to drug cartels.
Furthermore, the leaders welcomed the resumption of high-level military-to-military communication and engagements, including the U.S.-China Defense Policy Coordination Talks and the U.S.-China Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meetings. Telephone conversations between theater commanders will also be resumed.
In addition to addressing bilateral issues, President Biden and President Xi exchanged views on critical regional and global challenges. President Biden reiterated the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, emphasizing its support for the defense of Indo-Pacific allies and its dedication to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and East China Sea. The President also emphasized the importance of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
President Biden expressed the United States’ unwavering support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression, emphasizing the goal of Ukraine emerging as a democratic, independent, sovereign, and prosperous nation capable of deterring future aggression. The President also voiced U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism and urged all countries to use their influence to prevent the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
On the topic of human rights, President Biden stressed the importance of respecting international human rights commitments. He raised concerns regarding human rights abuses in regions such as Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. Regarding Taiwan, President Biden reiterated the United States’ unwavering adherence to the one China policy, calling for peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences and restraint in military activities around the Taiwan Strait.
Both leaders acknowledged the significance of people-to-people ties between the United States and China. They committed to increasing scheduled passenger flights and supporting exchanges in different sectors such as education, culture, sports, and business.
Recognizing the urgency of tackling the climate crisis in the current decade, the leaders emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to accelerate climate action. They welcomed discussions between their special envoys for climate, particularly on reducing emissions and operationalizing climate-related initiatives.
The summit also highlighted the efforts of both teams to explore best practices for the U.S.-China relationship, emphasizing responsible management of competition and conflict prevention while maintaining open lines of communication and cooperation on shared interests.
Moving forward, both leaders agreed to continue high-level diplomacy, visits, and working-level consultations in various areas, including commercial, economic, financial, Asia-Pacific, arms control, nonproliferation, maritime, export control enforcement, policy-planning, agriculture, and disability issues.
The fruitful summit between President Biden and President Xi Jinping marks a step toward constructive engagement and managing the complex relationship between the United States and China. As they move forward, both leaders are committed to finding peaceful coexistence and addressing common challenges for the benefit of their nations and the world.
