SAN FRANCISCO: Chinese leader Xi Jinping has landed in San Francisco for talks with US President Joe Biden that may ease friction between the two superpowers over military conflicts, drug-trafficking and artificial intelligence.
However, deep progress on the vast differences separating them may have to wait for another day. Officials on both sides of the Pacific have set expectations low as Biden and Xi are set to discuss Taiwan, the South China Sea, Israel-Hamas war, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea and human rights areas where the leaders have been unable to resolve long-standing disagreements.
Biden and Xi arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday, where they were set to hold their meeting on the sidelines the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Leaders from the 21-country group and hundreds of CEOs to court them meet amid Chinese economic weakness, Beijing’s territorial feuds with neighbours, and a West Asia conflict that is dividing the US from allies.