Biden-Xi meeting: No fireworks, but discussion on important issues takes place

US President Joe Biden met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a landmark in-person meet during which both leaders appeared to smoothen ties between world's two largest economies. This was first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Biden took office. The meet took place on the sidelines of G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Biden, sitting across from Xi at facing tables, said that Beijing and Washington "share responsibility" to show the world that they can "manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming conflict".

Xi Jinping told Biden that the world has "come to a crossroads".

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"The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle the relationship," Xi told him.

Watch | G20 Summit 2022: US, China talks amid simmering tensions

Xi, the most powerful leader in China is fresh from securing a norm-breaking third term in the presidential office. Biden's Democratic Party has been able to hold its own in recently concluded midterm elections.

On Taiwan

Relations between US and China have been strained in recent times over Taiwan and other issues. China claims Taiwan as its own territory while US continues to lead resolute international support for Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi, US House of Representatives Speaker visited the self-governing island in August this year.

During their meet in Bali, Biden told Xi that China's "aggressive" actions on Taiwan put peace at risk.

On the eve of his talks with Xi, Biden met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Cambodia, with the three leaders jointly calling for "peace and stability" on the Taiwan Strait.

On North Korea

North Korea has carried out series of missile tests in recent weeks that have sent alarm bells ringing in regional and Western countries.

Biden told Xi that world should encourage N. Korea to act 'responsibly'.

On Ukraine war

Though China hasn't openly supported Ukraine war, it has provided diplomatic cover to Russia. There have been number of nuclear threats from Russian camp.

"President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine," the White House said in a statement.

US officials said ahead of the meeting that Biden hoped to set up "guardrails" in the relationship with China and to assess how to avoid "red lines" that could push the world's two largest economies into conflict.

(With inputs from agencies)

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