President Joe Biden was aiming to enhance the icy relationship between the United States and China during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both superpowers, led by leaders with a seemingly warm personal connection, are seeking to decrease underlying tension. The summit, held in secret on an old estate south of San Francisco, involved highly choreographed events, from the formal welcome to the estate to carefully orchestrated handshakes. The discussion itself focused on restoring communication channels, preventing potential conflicts and confusions, and avoiding misunderstandings. On a long list of topics, topics included Taiwan, China’s disinformation campaigns, human rights violations, military and economic issues, climate change, and narcotics trafficking. While the two countries disagree on various issues, the summit has laid the groundwork for potential cooperation.
The location and atmosphere of the summit corresponded with the high stakes and extreme attention to security as the summit marked a milestone moment in US-China relations. After a series of events and disputes that led to military communication being severed, Biden has been working tirelessly to restore these vital communication channels. The relationship between the US and China is expected to be in a much different place than it was in the past when previous summits produced tangible outcomes. Biden reiterated in the summit his administration’s commitment to dealing with China and maintaining open communication to prevent any possible conflicts down the road. Although the two men come from different political backgrounds, a positive outcome and having the leaders talking face to face will foster stability and understanding between the two nations.
The Chinese president’s potential to headline a dinner with high-profile American business leaders is yet another indication of China’s enthusiasm for luring US investors, even as investments have been decreasing. Despite potential backlash and questioning from Republicans surrounding Biden’s decision to pursue the summit, both countries are aiming to keep their relationship in check and work on matters such as strengthening their lines of communication, a necessary step in preventing conflicts. With careful avoidance of misunderstanding or miscalculations that could lead to dangerous levels of conflicts, the two leaders managed to kickstart discussions that lay the groundwork for better relations and potential cooperation.
