WASHINGTON: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that the path to a meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden was “not smooth and cannot be left to autopilot,” China’s state media reported. Wang Yi said this while concluding a rare diplomatic visit to Washington.
During his visit, Wang Yi held discussions with President Biden and other senior US officials. Both sides reached an agreement to arrange a meeting between Xi and Biden next month, with Biden extending an invitation to Xi for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled in San Francisco in November. However, President Xi has not yet confirmed his attendance at the summit.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Aspen Strategy Group in Washington, Wang Yi said that “both sides hope to stabilize and improve bilateral relations as soon as possible and agreed to work together toward a San Francisco summit between the two heads of state,” China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.
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“The path to San Francisco is not smooth and cannot be left to ‘autopilot’,” Wang warned, emphasizing the challenges in the diplomatic process.
Chinese FM Asks Both Nations to Avoid Interference
Biden and Xi have not had any direct contact since their meeting in Bali in November 2022. Tensions have persisted between the United States and China for several years as the two global powers compete for influence in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Additionally, Beijing’s strengthened collaboration with Russia to reduce US dominance has further complicated the dynamics of international relations.
Wang Yi stressed the necessity for both nations to “eliminate interference, overcome obstacles, enhance consensus, and accumulate results” to pave the way for a successful meeting between the leaders, as reported by Xinhua.
