Joe Biden calls Xi Jinping a ‘dictator’ after 4-hour talks. What did they discuss?

It was a meet that the entire world was talking about. And the Joe Biden-Xi Jinping meet didn’t disappoint, entirely. Sitting down for talks at a sprawling mansion – the Filoli Estate – along the California coast, the leaders of the United States and China, who met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering, spoke for over four hours on various topics and were able to make progress on two key objectives: resuming military-to-military communications and cracking down on fentanyl. Following the talks, in a news conference, US president Joe Biden said the negotiations with Xi were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.” “We haven’t always agreed,” Biden said, but his talks with Xi are always “straightforward.” Xi, on the other hand, told his US counterpart: “Planet Earth is big enough” for both superpowers. “For two large countries like China and the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option.” Following the historic meet, which comes after a year the two met in Bali during the G20 Summit, let’s analyse and recap all that happened and if the meet yielded any positive outcomes. A ‘Hollywood’ meet Returning to San Francisco after over 35 years, China’s Xi Jinping met US president Joe Biden for their talks at the famous and sprawling Filoli Estate. Built in 1917, the estate served as the venue away from the APEC gathering in San Francisco. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund, told the Associated Press, “It appears to be a quiet, secluded estate, where Biden and Xi can have an intimate conversation in a relaxed environment. Importantly, the venue is not connected to the APEC summit, so it provides the appearance that the two leaders are having a bilateral summit that is distinct from the multilateral APEC summit.” The estate that spans across 654 acres also has a Hollywood touch to it. It has been a supporting character in the 1980s television drama Dynasty and the 2001 romantic comedy The Wedding Planner. It has also been the venue for top-dollar nuptials of Facebook executives. [caption id=“attachment_13392182” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] This was President Biden and Xi Jinping’s second face-to-face meeting since the former became the American president. The two met at a time when US and China ties had deteriorated to its lowest. AP[/caption] Key takeaways from the meet After smiles and handshakes, Xi and Biden got down to business and had extensive talks on various issues, which continued for four hours. The two leaders also had a stroll around the manicured lawns of the estate. But what did all this talking achieve? Perhaps, one of the biggest outcomes of the meet for Biden was that if either man had a concern, “we should pick up the phone and call one another and we’ll take the call. That’s important progress,” he said in a news conference following the talks. This is significant for the two superpowers, who have shared fraught ties in recent times. As Biden told Xi: “I think it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader-to-leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunications. We have to ensure competition does not veer into conflict.” Another positive outcome of the meet was that US and China would resume military ties. Military communication was cut off after the then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, angering Beijing. [caption id=“attachment_13392202” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Biden and Xi’s talks at Filoli Estate continued for four hours. The two leaders discussed a gamut of topics, including Taiwan and the Israel-Hamas war. AP[/caption] On resuming military talks, Biden said, “We’re back to direct, open, clear, direct communications on a direct basis.” A senior US official said the military communication agreements mean that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin can meet with his Chinese counterpart once that person is named. Biden and Xi also agreed to help curb the production of the illicit fentanyl that is a deadly component of drugs sold in the United States. Biden said that Beijing agreed to go after companies who produce the ingredients to fentanyl and that Washington would closely watch if China followed their commitments. “It’s going to save lives, and I appreciated President Xi’s commitment on this issue,” Biden said at a press conference after his meeting. The two world leaders also agreed to establish intergovernmental dialogue on artificial intelligence. Reports say the two leaders expressed concern on the risks associated with the technology and keeping it away from nuclear command and control. Notably, during the press conference, when asked if he trusted Xi, Biden said: “I know the man I know his modus operandi. We have disagreements but he’s been straight.” But he still said Xi was a dictator… “in a sense.” The two world leaders also held a substantial exchange about Taiwan . Xi, according to officials, said that China’s preference is for peaceful reunification but insisted that force could potentially be used. On the other hand, Biden stressed on the need to maintain peace and stability and asked Beijing to respect the electoral process in Taiwan. According to a CBS news report, Xi reportedly said that while peace is well and good but at some point, there needs to be a move toward a resolution. [caption id=“attachment_13392212” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] US president Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping emphasised on frank conversations, with the Chinese leader even saying that ‘Planet Earth is big enough’ for both superpowers. Reuters[/caption] Other areas of discussion Through the talks, it appears that Xi and Biden have able to move the US-China relationship a bit forward, with both sides emphasising on clear and frank discussions. During their marathon talks, the issue of Israel and Hamas was also brought up. A senior US official told CNN that Biden did most of the talking and Xi mostly listened. It is said that the US president urged his Chinese counterpart to use their leverage with Iran to warn against a wider escalation. Experts Speak The Biden-Xi talks were a much-awaited event, with geopolitical observers across the world keeping a close eye on them. And what do experts have to say on the talks? Some experts noted that the agreements between Biden and Xi will have a significance in the future of the two countries’ relationship. Zoe Liu, a fellow for China studies at the Council for Foreign Relations, told AP the agreements on fentanyl and military to military dialogues are “positive signs indicating both countries aim to put a floor to prevent the bilateral relationship from further deteriorating.” But Fox News had an opposing view. James Jay Carafano wrote for Fox, “Military-to-military talks are a side of nothing fries.” He added, “Who gets nothing out of this deal? Everyday Americans who won’t see Biden take strong stands that push back on China’s global malicious activity. We’ll just continue to be gaslighted on every issue from inflation to the border, with Biden making promises as empty as most people’s savings accounts.” [caption id=“attachment_13392222” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The two leaders had a working lunch featuring dishes as pilaf made from a style of rice popular in South Carolina. AP[/caption] Away from business But it wasn’t just all about business. There was a moment of smiles and laughs when the US president took time to wish Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan – her birthday is on 20 November. However, it appears that Xi needed a reminder. The Chinese leader noted to Biden that he had been working so hard that he had forgotten his wife’s birthday was next week. Biden and Xi also engaged in other chitchat, sharing memories of the times they had met before. Now it is left to be seen if Biden and Xi talks actually materialise into something concrete and if ties between China and US improve. With inputs from agencies