Talks between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden do not herald a thaw
The two presidents spoke about managing dangerous tensions, but an ice age looms
BEIJING BASKED in golden sunshine on November 16th as President Xi Jinping spent more than three hours on a video call with his American counterpart, Joe Biden. After months of tensions, the virtual meeting was supposed to show that their countries could manage disputes and avoid a spiral of confrontation.
The two leaders’ remarks matched the burst of mild weather. Mr Xi called Mr Biden an “old friend”, nodding to hours that the two men had spent travelling and talking together in 2011, when each held the rank of vice-president. “I stand ready to work with you, Mr President, to build consensus, take active steps and move China-US relations forward in a positive direction,” Mr Xi said.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline "A Sino-American ice age"
From the November 18th 2021 edition
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