Key Takeaways from the Biden-Xi Meeting: Insights Revealed

The meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping on Wednesday exceeded expectations and resulted in agreements on several key issues. President Biden described the discussions as constructive and productive, indicating important progress. President Xi acknowledged that US-China relations have been challenging but emphasized that turning their backs on each other is not an option. Here are four key takeaways from their talks in California. Firstly, the two countries, as the world's largest carbon emitters, agreed to take further measures to address climate change. While they did not commit to ending the use of fossil fuels, they promised to cooperate in reducing methane emissions and support efforts to triple renewable energy by 2030. Experts view these developments as noteworthy in preparation for the upcoming COP28 climate change conference. Secondly, the US and China agreed to collaborate in combating drug trafficking, with China pledging to crack down on chemical companies to prevent illegal fentanyl from entering the US. The synthetic opioid has contributed to a significant number of overdose deaths in the US, and both the drug itself and its precursor chemicals are sourced from Chinese manufacturing companies. The impact of this agreement remains uncertain, with questions surrounding China's commitment and willingness to target these companies. Thirdly, both countries agreed to resume military-to-military communication, a step that was highly desired by the US. Military links were previously severed by China after then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. The recent thaw in relations was further strained when a suspected Chinese spy balloon traversed the US before being shot down. Lastly, there were substantial discussions about Taiwan during the meeting. President Xi urged President Biden to cease arming Taiwan and declared that China's reunification with the island is inevitable. However, a senior US official stated that the American position on the matter will not change. While the agreements reached are significant, experts caution against overly optimistic predictions, noting that there are still considerable differences between the two nations. Nonetheless, the fact that the meeting took place and both presidents shook hands is a positive sign in itself. Establishing direct communication and the potential for continued engagement can be considered a diplomatic achievement.