Xi-Biden summit adds stability to China-U.S. ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden take a walk after their talks in the Filoli Estate in the U.S. state of California, Nov. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Xi's America trip, including his talks with Biden and his attendance at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, is widely believed to have added stability to China-U.S. relations, brought new impetus to the Asia-Pacific cooperation and injected positive energy into the international and regional landscape.

SAN FRANCISCO/BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- World political experts and business leaders are upbeat about the outcome of the latest meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden at Filoli Estate in the U.S. state of California.

They commend the leaders for their courage in finding the right path for the two major countries to foster mutual understanding and engage in cooperative endeavors aimed at achieving global stability.

Xi's America trip, including his talks with Biden and his attendance at the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, is widely believed to have added stability to China-U.S. relations, brought new impetus to the Asia-Pacific cooperation and injected positive energy into the international and regional landscape.

Notwithstanding these accomplishments, China and the United States should recognize that their relationship has never been smooth sailing over the past 50 years and more. There remain deep-seated issues, risks and challenges that call for joint attention and resolution.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Joe Biden at Filoli Estate in the U.S. state of California, Nov. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

ENHANCING STABILITY

The summit occurred at a pivotal time, as the global community emphasized the need for a stable China-U.S. relationship.

During their four-hour-long meeting, the two heads of state had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on strategic and overarching issues critical to the direction of China-U.S. relations and on major issues affecting world peace and development.

China is consistently committed to having a stable, healthy and sustainable relationship with the United States, and China has interests that must be safeguarded, principles that must be upheld, and red lines that must not be crossed, Xi said during the meeting with Biden.

"There is no substitute for face-to-face communication. It's where people build up their trust and personal ties. This direct dialogue will help avoid misunderstandings," said Abraham D. Sofaer, a senior fellow emeritus at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

William Jones, the Washington bureau chief of U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review, said that the meeting sets a positive tone for increased stability in the U.S.-China relationship.

However, as Jones emphasized, reaching this point requires the United States to "overcome the view that China is a rival, and view China as more of a partner in order to establish a really solid relationship."

"International stability requires good Sino-American understanding in the political and economic fields. The two countries must work and (hold) dialogue on the basis of mutual respect," said Lyazid Benhami, vice president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship.

"The next chapter in world history may well depend on whether his U.S. counterpart can rise to the occasion and display a similar degree of wisdom, foresight, and magnanimity," said Keith Bennett, London-based long-time China specialist.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech titled "Staying True to APEC Founding Mission and Enhancing Unity and Cooperation to Jointly Promote High-Quality Growth in the Asia-Pacific" at the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, the United States, Nov. 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

SHOULD BE NEW STARTING POINT

While briefing the media on Xi's talks with Biden and his attendance at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that San Francisco should not be the finish line but a new starting point.

Xi's cordial interactions once again with friendly personages from all walks of life in the United States made us feel deeply that the foundation of China-U.S. friendship is still there, the momentum of exchanges remains and the prospect of cooperation is promising, he said.

During a welcome dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the United States, Xi delivered a speech stressing the role of people in China-U.S. relations.

Xi said, "To increase exchanges between our peoples, especially between the youth, China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years."

Prospects for growing cultural and people-to-people exchanges are poised to serve as a new beginning for the relationship between the two nations.

"If the younger generation could exchange ideas, meet each other, and visit each other's countries, that could help lay a very important foundation for the future of the relationship," said Zhao Suisheng, director of the Center for China-US Cooperation, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver.

"Personally, I think both countries are trying to find ways they can work together to be successful. And the more we can talk about these things and what and how we can solve it, the better chance that we can be able to get them solved and be beneficial," said former Missouri Governor Bob Holden.

Photo taken on Nov. 12, 2023 shows the APEC 2023 signs in front of the APEC 2023 International Media Center in San Francisco, the United States. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

MOST IMPORTANT DIPLOMATIC EVENT OF THE YEAR

The Xi-Biden summit is "the most important diplomatic event of the year, surely for both China and the United States and arguably for the entire world," said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, Chairman of the Kuhn Foundation.

Tracy Wang, a managing partner of Traxion Capital, a San Franciso-based venture capital firm, said, "the meeting between the leaders of China and the United States has sent a positive signal of improvement in bilateral relations, which is greatly heartening to us."

"If this meeting leads to the two systems developing a united way forward to cooperate, we can find an era of peace and global growth," said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club.

"As a planet, we are facing multiple challenges -- the need to nourish the hungry, manage climate change, sustain economic growth and job creation, and maintain global stability. We hope there will be a positive reset and improved relations between these two global superpowers," said Grant Kimberley, a sixth-generation soybean farmer and marketing director of the Iowa Soybean Association.

Stable China-U.S. relations will provide other countries with greater opportunities for cooperation, said Amadou Diop, a Senegalese expert on China. "Only when China-U.S. relations return to the right track, can we look forward to a more united, open, and prosperous future."

Diop highlighted the significance of China and the United States as major trading partners for Africa, saying the stability of China-U.S. relations holds great importance for Africa's economy, trade, peace, security, and sustainable development.

"Africa needs to see friendly, open, and stable China-U.S. relations to better meet the continent's huge expectations for investment at all levels," he said.