AFP
For the first time since his inauguration, US President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday night, February 11th.
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The White House press office stated on its official website that Biden reiterated during the conversation the priority is protecting the security, prosperity, health and life of the American people, in addition to keeping the Indian and Pacific Oceans free and open.
Moreover, the US president stressed his “major concern” about Beijing’s economic decisions regarding the situation in Hong Kong and Xinjiang (where the Uyghur minority lives) and the increasingly complex measures in the region, including with regard to Taiwan.
The two sides also exchanged views on combating the “Covid-19” pandemic, as well as common challenges to global health security, climate change and nonproliferation.
According to Bloomberg News, citing sources, the phone conversation between Biden and Xi Jinping was the first between the two leaders since Biden took office in the United States on January 20.
Biden had referred on February 7 to what he described as the intense competition between his country and China, but added that the two countries should not reach a confrontation.
On the eve of February 6, China called on the United States to correct recent mistakes regarding China and work together to develop relations.
Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, held that Washington should develop bilateral relations on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, non-confrontation and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Prior to that, on February 5, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held telephone conversations with Ji Qi, during which he said that the US authorities intend to “hold China accountable,” adding that Washington will continue to defend human rights and democratic values, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
On February 4, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his hope that Biden’s phrase “America is back” does not mean Chinese hegemony, and that Chinese immigrants will seize millions of US jobs.
Source: iz.ru
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