’He may not be aware…’ US President Joe Biden says as he hopes to meet China’s Xi again
President Biden hopes to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the next few months and suggested China's leaders were unaware of details surrounding an alleged spy balloon shot down by the US in February. Biden said he thinks the balloon incident was more embarrassing than intentional.
President Joe Biden expressed his desire to hold a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the coming months. He also suggested that the Chinese leadership may not have been aware of the specifics surrounding a purported spy balloon that the United States intercepted and shot down in February.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, President Biden acknowledged that China faces genuine challenges unrelated to the United States. He remarked that the incident involving the balloon was more of an embarrassment rather than an intentional act. He emphasized that the Chinese leadership seemed uninformed about the balloon's location, its contents, and the overall situation.
While boarding Air Force One en route to Philadelphia for a speech inaugurating his 2024 reelection campaign, President Biden shared his hopes of arranging another meeting with President Xi Jinping. This development aligns with the ongoing visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing. Secretary Blinken's purpose is to engage in discussions with senior Chinese officials, aiming to deescalate tensions and prevent outright conflict between the world's two largest economies. The original timing of Blinken's trip had been postponed due to the controversy surrounding the spy balloon, which traversed the United States from west to east before being intercepted by a fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina.
President Biden and President Xi previously met in Bali, Indonesia, in November of the previous year.
The relationship between the United States and China has been marked by tensions and disputes over various issues, including trade, human rights, and territorial claims. Both countries have been engaged in a series of trade disputes, imposing tariffs on each other's goods, which have had significant economic repercussions. Additionally, the United States has expressed concerns about China's human rights record, particularly regarding the treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and political freedoms in Hong Kong.
The alleged spy balloon incident further strained the bilateral relationship. The balloon's flight across the United States raised concerns about China's intelligence-gathering activities and its potential threats to national security. The interception and subsequent destruction of the balloon by the US military underscored the seriousness with which the United States views such activities.
President Biden's expressed desire to meet President Xi Jinping signals an attempt to engage in high-level dialogue to address the underlying issues and improve the overall relationship between the two nations. Diplomatic engagements, such as Secretary Blinken's visit to China, serve as avenues for dialogue and a potential platform for finding common ground on key issues. The United States and China's economic and geopolitical significance make their relationship a critical factor in shaping global dynamics, and efforts to mitigate tensions are crucial for maintaining stability and cooperation on various global challenges.
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Business NewsNewsWorld’He may not be aware…’ US President Joe Biden says as he hopes to meet China’s Xi again
First Published:18 Jun 2023, 08:06 AM IST
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