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US-China relations
OpinionComment
Rorry Daniels
Rorry Daniels

Opinion | US-China relations remain fraught, but Xi and Biden are at least willing to work on them

  • The US-China talks in Bali gave both leaders a chance to voice their concerns without overshadowing the need for cooperation, which both acknowledge
  • The real work of turning this goodwill into meaningful action now falls to the representatives of each side

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Rorry Daniels
Despite low expectations, Monday’s summit between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping offered reassurances that there is political will to stem the downward spiral of the US-China relationship.

By setting aside suspicion and worst-case scenarios, both sides exhibited the statesmanship and confidence – in their respective strengths and in their personal relationship – that could bridge the gap between aspirations to manage the relationship responsibly and the mechanisms and processes to do so.

But this outcome, however promising, is only the first step towards a firmer footing. Xi and Biden have set the table, and now their designated representatives have to do the much tougher job of cooking and serving the meal.

Both leaders came into this meeting with favourable politics at home. Xi Jinping was fresh from China’s 20th party congress, the major leadership selection held every five years where he emerged with all key positions filled by his own network. Joe Biden’s Democrats had weathered the US midterms without the massive Republican takeover that many predicted.

This confidence is not only reflected in the picture of the two leaders, shaking hands and smiling, but also in the delivery of their prepared remarks that emphasised the desire for candid dialogue without backing away from the points of competition and confrontation.

The substance of the meeting served three important purposes. First, it allowed both sides to frame the bilateral relationship in their own terms, to a wide audience.

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