Beijing – In a meeting held in California on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, to cease arming Taiwan, emphasizing the “inevitability” of reunification with the island, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
President Xi stated to Biden that “the American side must stop arming Taiwan and support the peaceful reunification of China. China will achieve reunification; this is inevitable.” Both leaders agreed to resume high-level military talks based on equality and respect.
Furthermore, Beijing informed Washington that the sanctions imposed on Chinese companies by the U.S. are harming “China’s legitimate interests.” Xi conveyed to Biden that “U.S. actions related to export controls, investment, and unilateral sanctions seriously undermine China’s legitimate interests.”
During the summit, China and the United States also reached an agreement to hold government-level talks on artificial intelligence. Xi Jinping and Joe Biden agreed to initiate government-level discussions on artificial intelligence.
In addition to these discussions, a senior U.S. official stated that President Xi agreed during the summit to take significant steps to significantly reduce the production of fentanyl precursors, a drug that has caused addiction issues in the United States. The official explained that “the Chinese are taking a number of steps to significantly reduce those supplies,” adding that it’s “a significant set of steps that the Chinese have agreed to take to try to address” the crisis.
Following a four-hour meeting between Biden and Xi, Biden asked China to leverage its influence with Iran and encourage the avoidance of provocative actions in the Middle East. Chinese officials are engaged in discussions with Iran regarding regional risks.
These developments come as China continues to assert its stance on the reunification of Taiwan, emphasizing its sovereignty over the island and urging the United States to halt military support to Taiwan, a point of contention in U.S.-China relations.
