Presidents Biden and Xi at the Digital Summit

The American media is talking about a friendly and diplomatic meeting between the two leaders of the great powers, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. “I’m glad to see you, my old friend,” Xi told Biden as they waved to each other across computer screens.

“Maybe I should start more formally, even if you and I don’t officially deal with each other,” Biden replied and added:

– We’ve always talked to each other honestly and never left one of us wondering what the other was thinking, according to The Associated Press.

“Facing Challenges Together”

Joe Biden has highlighted the responsibility of both leaders to ensure that competition between nations does not escalate into conflict, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Something that even Chinese President Xi Jinping noticed.

— Xi said both countries should become better in communication and cooperation:

A stable and mutual relationship is essential to dealing with global challenges such as climate change and the coronavirus. Xi Jinping said that people live in a global village and we face challenges together.

No major agreements are expected

Before the meeting, Chinese officials feared that Taiwan was the main issue – with tensions rising as the Chinese military’s presence in Taiwan increased.

“The Taiwan issue is related to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is the most important and sensitive issue in Sino-US relations,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement before the meeting.

talk for four hours

The meeting, which began at 02 Swedish time, ended just before 06 a.m. According to Chinese state media, the two presidents talked about “strategic and fundamental issues.”

Tonight’s meeting was the third between the two presidents since Joe Biden took office in January.

– We know that both countries said that the most important thing in this meeting is to find a way to communicate with each other so that any serious conflicts can be avoided in the future, says US SVT correspondent Stefan Osberg at Morgonstudion.

SVT Asia correspondent Ulrika Bergstein said China is also about strengthening its position in global trade.

For China, of course, it is about establishing trade relations with the outside world. But also to be observed and respected, which Xi Jinping emphasized many times. You say you are a global player that other countries take very seriously.