Biden calls talks with Xi Jinping “open and frank”

U.S. President Joe Biden called his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping “open and frank,” noting that Washington does not seek conflict with Beijing.

“We actually had an open and frank conversation about our intentions and our priorities,” he said, speaking at a news conference following the bilateral meeting.

“We will actively compete, but I’m not seeking conflict, I’m seeking to manage that competition in a responsible way,” the American leader added.

According to the president, Chinese President Xi Jinping is willing to compromise with the United States on various issues. “Do I think he is willing to compromise on various issues? Yes,” he said in response to a related question.

Nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine
According to him, the two sides agreed on the absolute unacceptability of the use of nuclear weapons in the context of Ukraine.

The two heads of state, he said, discussed Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and reiterated their “shared conviction that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is absolutely unacceptable.”

The situation around Taiwan
He also added that the U.S. does not see any direct intention on the part of China to invade Taiwan. “I don’t believe there is any direct intention on the part of China to invade Taiwan. I have made it clear that our policy toward Taiwan has not changed at all, it is the same as it has always been. We want the issues of relations on both sides of the Strait to be resolved peacefully and for this invasion to never come to this,” he said.

Biden added that in his view, “there is no need for a new Cold War,” as he has frankly said repeatedly with Xi Jinping. Biden expressed confidence that he and the Chinese president understood each other on the Taiwan issue. “I believe the U.S. is better prepared than any country in the world for the political and economic implications of the changing world situation. We agreed with Xi Jinping that we would set the stage to work on issues where we need to settle certain details. We have agreed that members of our administrations will hold discussions on all the topics that we raised today, and there were many of them,” the U.S. president said.