Joe Biden says meeting with Xi Jinping in November in US 'a possibility'

US President Joe Biden said Friday (Oct 6)that there was a "possibility" he will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco in November.

Several media reports claimed that the two leaders were set to hold talks to ease tensions between Beijing and Washington, but while addressing journalists at the White House, Biden said, "There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility."

Last month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that both nations are still working on a diplomatic compromise that could open a pathway for Xi to attend the APEC summit.

However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sep 26 that Beijing was still in discussions about Xi's attendance at the annual forum.

His comments came after he met with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta in mid-September in the latest attempt to reach out.

Image: Joe Biden speaks to journalistsin the Roosevelt Room of the White House on October 6, 2023.

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The Chinese leader's attendance at the forum became a matter of speculation after he skipped the September Group of 20 (G20) summit in India.

Biden had said last month that he was "disappointed" that Xi was not attending the G20 summit in New Delhi but added that he was "going to get to see him", although he did not elaborate.

In the past few months, tensions between the US and China have escalated as the two powers push for influence, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bilateral ties face a long list of problems, from trade disputes to Taiwan's future to the expansive Chinese presence in the South China Sea.

(With inputs from agencies)

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