U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Nov. 15, 2023, for their first in-person talks in a year. The meeting, held at the Filoli Estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, focused on managing bilateral competition and re-establishing communication channels.
The leaders reached several agreements, most notably the resumption of high-level military-to-military communications between the two countries. According to statements from both the White House and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this includes talks between senior defense officials and operational commanders. These channels were suspended by Beijing in August 2022 following a visit to Taiwan by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Another key area of agreement was cooperation on counternarcotics. China agreed to take measures to control the export of precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. A White House official stated that in return, the U.S. would lift sanctions on the Chinese Ministry of Public Security’s Institute of Forensic Science.
The White House readout of the meeting noted that the leaders also discussed the risks of advanced artificial intelligence systems and agreed to begin government-level talks on the subject.
Discussions also covered areas of significant disagreement, particularly regarding Taiwan. According to a senior U.S. administration official who briefed reporters, President Biden reiterated the U.S. “One China” policy, which acknowledges Beijing’s position that there is one China but does not endorse its claim to Taiwan.
Chinese state media reported that President Xi told President Biden that the Taiwan issue remains the most significant and sensitive issue in U.S.-China relations. The reports stated that Xi urged the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and support China’s peaceful reunification.
Following the four-hour meeting, both leaders held separate press conferences. President Biden described the discussions as “some of the most constructive and productive we’ve had.”
During his press conference, when asked by a reporter if he would still refer to President Xi as a dictator, President Biden responded, “Well, look, he is.” He elaborated by saying Xi presides over a communist country with a form of government different from that of the United States.
In response, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry described the remark as “extremely wrong” and “irresponsible political manipulation” during a press briefing the following day. The spokesperson stated that the comment was contrary to basic facts and diplomatic protocol.
