Today's first face-to-face U.S.-China summit, relationship building amid deepening conflict

President Biden of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China will hold their first face-to-face summit in Indonesia on the 14th.

As the two countries deepen their confrontation in the security and economic fields such as the situation in Taiwan, the focus is on whether the top leaders can exchange opinions and build a relationship that will not develop into a serious conflict.

President Biden of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China will hold a summit meeting on the 14th in Bali, Indonesia, where the G20 = 20 major countries' summit will be held.

The two leaders have held online and telephone talks five times so far, but this will be their first face-to-face meeting. It is expected that they will also exchange opinions on the economic field.

In particular, regarding the situation in Taiwan, China increased military pressure on Taiwan in response to the visit of US House Speaker Pelosi to Taiwan in August, and the relationship between the United States and China has deteriorated further.

At the meeting, President Biden would like to frankly convey the US's concerns about China's actions, while also understanding the Chinese side's intentions so that they do not misread each other's intentions.

On the other hand, as President Xi, who will be the first meeting after entering an unusual third term as the top of the Communist Party, it is expected that he will directly tell President Biden to stop involvement in Taiwan, which shows a strong desire for unification.

As the two countries deepen their conflicts in various fields, the focus will be on whether the first face-to-face summit will be able to build a relationship that will not develop into a serious conflict.

On the other hand, attention is also focused on whether we can find points of cooperation on issues with common interests such as climate change.

America's aim

The Biden administration has positioned the first face-to-face summit as a "laying ground" to ensure that the rivalry between the fiercely contested nations does not escalate into conflict.

President Biden said on the 9th of this month, ``I want to draw a line between each other, understand what is vital to China's national interests, and see if it conflicts with America's national interests.'' He said he would like to use this meeting as an opportunity to confirm the issues and priorities that President Xi Jinping attaches importance to.

He then said, "If the national interests of the two countries collide, I would like to discuss how to resolve the issue and face it." We want to understand each other and build a relationship that will not misread each other's intentions.

On the other hand, a senior Biden administration official said, "Just because the two leaders met face-to-face does not mean that all problems will be resolved." It has indicated that it is aware that the two countries are in the process, and that there are no plans to issue a joint statement after the talks.

China's aim

China strongly opposes the Biden administration in the United States, which is putting pressure on China over human rights conditions and trade restrictions, and is strengthening its involvement in Taiwan.

President Xi Jinping has shown a strong desire to unify Taiwan, and in a report to the Communist Party Congress held last month, he stated that "unification is the party's historic mission," and that he would refrain from using force for unification. showed no attitude.

In addition, it is expected that the target will be "interference by external forces" and will be kept in mind with the United States and others in mind, and at this meeting, it is expected that President Biden will be directly told to stop being involved in Taiwan.

On the other hand, as the economic recovery is delayed due to the effects of the "zero corona" policy, which entails strict restrictions on movement, it is hoped to avoid further deterioration of relations with the United States, and it is expected that the talks will also provide clues for improving relations. .

At a press conference on the 11th of this month, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that while ordering the summit meeting from the United States, "the stable development of bilateral relations is in the interests of both countries and is the expectation of countries around the world." I look forward to improving our relationship.

Former US Deputy Secretary of State ``The key is to clarify the procedure for discussions between the two countries''

Richard Armitage, who has been deeply involved in Asian diplomacy, including serving as Deputy Secretary of State during the Bush administration in the United States, said in an interview with NHK about the U.S.-China summit that "the two leaders exchanged opinions verbally." Biden, who knows Xi Jinping personally, should do what he can to change the mood."

After that, he said, "The key is to clarify the procedures for discussions between the two countries by continuing to hold talks between the defense ministers and the foreign ministers. If we take the time to do that, we will be able to expose the problem." After the summit, he expressed the idea that it is important to maintain a forum for high-level talks between the United States and China.