Biden, Xi to discuss communication, competition

The White House said on Monday President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening communication and managing competition when they meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this week. The face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay Area tomorrow will be the first between Biden and Xi in a year, with the high-stakes diplomacy aimed at curbing tensions between the two superpowers. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Biden believes there is no substitute for face-to-face diplomacy to manage the complex relationship. “We anticipate that the leaders will discuss some of the most fundamental elements of the US-PRC bilateral relationship, including the continued importance of strengthening open lines of communication and managing competition responsibly so that it does not veer into conflict,” Sullivan said, referring to the People’s Republic of China. “The way we achieve that is through intense diplomacy. That’s how we clear up misperceptions and avoid surprises.”

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