(Washington) – US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the United States does not seek to distance itself from China, but instead wants to improve relations, ahead of an upcoming summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco.
The two leaders are scheduled to meet on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in California, a year after they last met face-to-face, against a backdrop of trade and political tensions over, among other issues. Taiwan.
“We are not trying to break away from China. What we are trying to do is improve our relations,” the US President stressed, adding that he hopes their summit will help the two sides “re-establish normal communications, the ability to pick up the phone and talk to each other if there is a crisis.”
Despite a promising meeting in November 2022 in Bali (Indonesia), relations between the world’s two largest economic powers were derailed after the United States shot down a Chinese balloon that Washington described as a spy plane at the beginning of the year.
But Joe Biden warned that the United States is wary of investments in China because of Beijing’s trade practices.
“I will not continue to support positions that if we want to invest in China, we have to give up all our trade secrets,” he added.
Asked about its expectations for the bilateral meeting, the Chinese Foreign Ministry remained vague, but promised to hold an “in-depth dialogue” on “core issues related to peace and development in the world.”
China has also indicated that it will not budge on certain issues, such as Taiwan, which Beijing considers an integral part of its territory, and its military expansion in the South China Sea.
However, Washington and Beijing have recently strengthened their trade and economic ties.
“If the Chinese, who are currently experiencing economic difficulties, if the average owner, if the average citizen in China, is able to get a decent, well-paid job, it will benefit them and it will benefit us as well,” the US President added.
During his trip to the United States, Xi Jinping will have dinner with American business leaders, and is expected to call for easing US trade restrictions when he meets with Joe Biden.
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