President Xi Jinping stresses cooperation and mutual respect in meeting with Joe Biden

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Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of cooperation and mutual respect in a meeting with US President Joe Biden at a picturesque mansion in northern California. The leaders, gathered at the picturesque Filoli Estate, aimed to establish a working relationship amid strained ties exacerbated by the Covid pandemic and the Ukrainian war.

Seated across a long table with their respective delegations, Xi Jinping underscored the need to avoid conflict and prioritize cooperation, stating, "Conflicts and confrontations have unbearable consequences for both sides. Major country competition is not the prevailing trend of current times and cannot solve the problems facing China and the United States."

Xi, attending the APEC Leadership Summit at Biden's invitation, expressed his belief that the Earth is vast enough for both countries to succeed, with one's success presenting an opportunity for the other. Acknowledging differences in history, culture, and development paths, he emphasized that mutual respect and peaceful coexistence would enable the two major countries to overcome disparities and find a conducive way to interact.

While the atmosphere in the meeting room appeared cordial, it did not carry the same level of warmth as seen in some of Biden's previous bilateral meetings. Xi reflected on global challenges since their last meeting in Bali, Indonesia, noting the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic, sluggish economic recovery, and persistent threats to industrial and supply chains.

See Pictures: US president Joe Biden meets with China's president Xi Jinping

Xi urged viewing the China-US relationship within the broader context of global transformations, emphasizing that it should evolve in a manner that benefits both nations and contributes to human progress. Biden welcomed Xi to the US and acknowledged the importance of face-to-face discussions, expressing appreciation for their longstanding, straightforward, and candid exchanges.

"We have to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict and we also have to manage it responsibly. That's what the United States wants and what we intend to do. I also believe it's a world wants for both of us candid exchange," Biden said in his welcome remarks at the start of the bilateral meeting.

"We also have a responsibility to our people and the world to work together when we see it in our interest to do so. The critical global challenges we face from climate change to narcotics, and artificial intelligence demand our joint efforts," he said. (With inputs from PTI)