During meeting with Biden, China's Xi cautions US to 'make wise choice'

Chinas leader Xi Jinping met for the last time with US President Joe Biden on Saturday but was already looking ahead to Presidentelect Donald Trump and his America first policies saying Beijing is ready to work with a new US administrationDuring their talks on the sidelines of the annual AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit Xi cautioned that a stable ChinaUS relationship was critical not only to the two nations but also the future and destiny of humanity Make the wise choice he cautioned Keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each otherWithout mentioning Trumps name Xi appeared to signal his concern that the incoming presidents protectionist rhetoric on the campaign trail could send the USChina relationship into another valley China is ready to work with a new US administration to maintain communication expand cooperation and manage differences so as to strive for a steady transition of the ChinaUS relationship for the benefit of the two peoples Xi said through an interpreterXi who is firmly entrenched atop Chinas political hierarchy spoke forcefully in his brief remarks before reporters Biden who is winding down more than 50 years of public service talked in broader brushstrokes about where the relationship between the two countries has gone He reflected not just on the past four years but the decades the two have known each otherWe havent always agreed but our conversations have always been candid and always been frank Weve never kidded one another Biden said These conversations prevent miscalculations and they ensure the competition between our two countries will not veer into conflictBiden urged Xi to dissuade North Korea from further deepening its support for Russias war on Ukraine The leaders with top aides surrounding them gathered around a long rectangle of tables in an expansive conference room at Limas Defines Hotel and Conference CenterChina hosted the meeting this year after Xi and Biden met a year ago on the APEC sidelines in northern California a gathering hosted by the US They had much to discuss including Chinas indirect support for Russia human rights issues technology and Taiwan the selfruled democracy that Beijing claims as its own On artificial intelligence the two agreed on the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weaponsTheres much uncertainty about what lies ahead in the USChina relationship under Trump who campaigned promising to levy 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports Already many American companies including Nike and eyewear retailer Warby Parker have been diversifying their sourcing away from China Shoe brand Steve Madden says it plans to cut imports from China by as much as 45 per cent next yearIn a congratulatory message to Trump after his victory over VicePresident Kamala Harris Xi called for the US and China to manage their differences and get along in a new era In front of the cameras Saturday Xi spoke to Biden but it was unmistakable that his message was directed at TrumpIn a major flourishing scitech revolution neither decoupling nor supply chain disruption is a solution Xi said Only mutual beneficial cooperation can lead to common development Small yard high fence is not what a major country should pursueBiden administration officials would advise the Trump team that managing the intense competition with Beijing will likely be the most significant foreign policy challenge they will face White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said On Saturday Sullivan said Biden had reinforced to Xi that these next two months are a time of transition and the president would like to pass it off in stable terms to the new administrationBiden has viewed his relationship with Xi as among the most consequential on the international stage and put much effort into cultivating it The two first got to know each other on travels across the US and China when both were vicepresidents interactions that both have said left a lasting impressionBut the last four years have presented a steady stream of difficult moments The FBI this week offered new details of a federal investigation into Chinese government efforts to hack into US telecommunications networks The initial findings have revealed a broad and significant cyberespionage campaign aimed at stealing information from Americans who work in government and politicsUS intelligence officials also have assessed China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools microelectronics and other technology that Moscow is using to produce missiles tanks aircraft and other weaponry for use in its war against UkraineBiden is looking for Xi to step up Chinese engagement to prevent an already dangerous moment with North Korea from further escalating Biden South Korean President Yoon Seok Yul and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday condemned North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns decision to send thousands of troops to help Moscow repel Ukrainian forces who have seized territory in Russias Kursk border regionBiden called it dangerous and destabilising cooperation White House officials have expressed frustration with Beijing which accounts for the vast majority of North Koreas trade for not doing more to rein in PyongyangThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever