Road to Xi Jinping- Joe Biden meet won't be smooth: Chinese minister

BEIJING, October 29

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the “road to the San Francisco summit will not be a smooth one”, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday in a reference to an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden.

Wang met Biden and his top aides in Washington recently, agreeing to work together towards the expected bilateral meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit.

A flurry of bilateral diplomatic engagements in recent months, largely at US’ request, has aimed at salvaging what were rapidly deteriorating ties early in the year following the US downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon. But in remarks on Saturday, Wang cautioned the road to the summit would not be a smooth one and travelling there would not be on “autopilot”, the ministry said in a statement.

He was speaking after a discussion with members of the US strategic community in Washington, the ministry said. Last month, China’s top security agency suggested any Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco hinged on the US “showing sufficient sincerity”. Wang said China and the US needed to “return to Bali”, referring to the last meeting between Biden and Xi, on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit on the Indonesian resort island last November, where they discussed Taiwan, competition and communication.

Washington and Beijing must put into practice the consensus achieved then, “remove interference, overcome obstacles, enhance consensus and gather outcomes”, Wang said.

He said both sides have jointly sent out positive signals to stabilise and improve relations. — Reuters

China kickstarts military diplomacy event

Beijing: The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, China’s biggest annual show of military diplomacy, started on Sunday, although the Asian power is still missing a Defence Minister, who typically hosts the event. China hopes to use the forum to promote President Xi Jinping’s vision for a safer world and draw developing countries closer, as it faces increased coordination between the United States and its allies to curtail its military ambitions. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was initially listed in the forum’s agenda as the first guest speaker at the ceremony on Monday, a sign that suggests China intends to give Russia centre stage at the forum. But as of Sunday, Shoigu’s name was not on the agenda. Reuters