Biden-Xi meeting: US president calls Chinese counterpart a ‘dictator’ hours after ‘constructive’ meeting

During the significant meeting, numerous milestones were achieved. These included agreements to establish a presidential hotline, restart military-to-military communications, Taiwan issue and collaboration on reducing fentanyl production. This indicates substantial progress in their first face-to-face talks in a year. (Image: AP)

​In a notable development, both governments intend to revive military communications, which China had severed after the visit to Taiwan by then-House of representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022. “We’re back to direct, open clear direct communication on a direct basis,” Biden said. (Image: AP)



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Hours after the 'productive' discussions to revive bilateral ties, Biden called his Chinese counterpart a 'dictator'. “I mean, he (Xi) is a dictator in the sense that he is a guy who runs a country that is a communist country that’s based on a form of government totally different than ours,” he said. (Image: AP)

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Biden and Xi reached an agreement for China to restrict the export of items linked to opioid fentanyl production, a major contributor to US drug overdoses. ​“It’s going to save lives, and I appreciated president Xi’s commitment on this issue," the US president said at a press conference after his meeting. (Image: NYT)

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The meeting did not lead to a closer alignment between the US and China regarding the future of Taiwan. Xi reportedly called it, “the biggest, most potentially dangerous issue in US-China relations”. He told Biden, "The US side should stop arming Taiwan, and support China’s peaceful reunification". (Image: AFP)

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"Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed," Xi told Biden, while the US president said the world expects the US and China to manage 'competition responsibly' to prevent it from veering into 'conflict, confrontation, or a new Cold War'. (Image: AP)



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Both leaders acknowledged the importance of addressing the risks associated with advanced AI systems and emphasized the necessity of enhancing AI safety. "We’re gonna get our experts together to discuss risk and safety issues associated with artificial intelligence," Biden said. (AP file photo)

The Chinese president pressed Biden to lift sanctions and change policies on export controls for sensitive equipment. As per Beijing's description, ​“Stifling China’s technological progress is nothing but a move to contain China’s high-quality development and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development. He said that China's development won't be stopped by external forces. (Image: AP)

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There were no discussion on whether Chinese pandas will return to Washington's zoo. Biden said the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had" and will lead to stronger dialogue between the two leaders. He said they will “keep the lines of communication open." (Image: AP)
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