Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on Nov. 14 for his first visit to the U.S. since 2017.
He is due to meet President Joe Biden at an undisclosed location in the San Francisco Bay Area the next day and then attend the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, according to Reuters.
Xi’s upcoming summit with Biden marks the first in-person meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders this year. U.S. officials view this as a crucial opportunity to alleviate tensions in what is widely perceived as the world’s most precarious rivalry.
Few hours earlier U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed ministers of the 21-member APEC and stressed that “…our engagement with APEC underscores the United States enduring commitment to the vision that we all agreed in Malaysia in 2020: an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, one that enhances the prosperity of its people and future generations.”
Katherine Tai, the U.S. Trade Representative, along with Blinken, inaugurated the APEC ministerial session in San Francisco and said that the meeting takes place during a period of significant uncertainty and challenges for the region. She highlighted the rise in geopolitical tensions, vulnerable supply chains, and a deteriorating climate crisis.
Earlier, Biden expressed his intention to improve relations with China following a period of strained ties. He emphasized the goal of restoring regular communications between the two superpowers, including resuming military-to-military contacts.
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