Path towards Xi-Biden meeting is 'not smooth', says Chinese foreign minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that the journey towards a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping was "not smooth", Chinese state media reported. This week, Wang met President Biden and other senior US officials in Washington. Both sides agreed on Friday to set up meeting between the leaders next month. Biden has invited Xi Jinping to San Francisco in the month of November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The relations between the US and China are currently strained.

On Saturday, Wang spoke in front of the audience at a Washington event which was hosted by the Aspen Strategy Group. He said that "both sides hope to stabilise and improve bilateral relations as soon as possible and agreed to work together toward a San Francisco summit between the two heads of state," state news agency Xinhua reported.

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"The path to San Francisco is not smooth and cannot be left to 'autopilot'," Wang warned, according to Xinhua

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After they met in Bali in November 2022, Biden and Xi have not had any contact.

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US-China relations are going through a tough phase are both countries don't see eye-to-eye over a number of bilateral issues as well as other global issues. China in recent times, has taken assertive steps to engage with island nations in the Indo-Pacific and also with other countries. US has responded by taking similar steps and strengthening its pre-existing alliances with countries across the world.

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Even in the case of Russia-Ukraine war, US and China are part of opposite camps. The US has led Western effort to aid Ukraine and slap economic sanctions on Russia while China has chosen to give diplomatic cover to Russia, has helped it shore up its economy.

US and China are sparring on the issue of semiconductors as well.

There have been efforts to cool things down from both the countries. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently visited Beijing and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in the US earlier this week.

(With inputs from agencies)

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