Call between Xi and Biden renews hope for world stability

The recent video call between China’s President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden has shed some light in an increasingly volatile world beset with massive challenges. In addition to the re-emerging COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war threatens to spill over to a global conflict basically pitting the East and the West.

Biden said that 50 years ago, the US and China made the important choice of issuing the Shanghai Communiqué. Fifty years on, the US-China relationship has once again come to a critical time. How this relationship develops will shape the world in the 21st century. Biden reiterated that the US does not seek a new Cold War with China; it does not aim to change China’s system; the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China; the US does not support “Taiwan independence”; and it has no intention to seek a conflict with China.

The US is ready to have candid dialogue and closer cooperation with China, stay committed to the one-China policy, and effectively manage competition and disagreements to ensure the steady growth of the relationship. Biden expressed readiness to stay in close touch with Xi to set the direction for the US-China relationship.

Xi noted the new major developments in the international landscape since their first virtual meeting in November, 2021. The prevailing trend of peace and development is facing serious challenges. The world is neither tranquil nor stable. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and the world’s two leading economies, China and the US must not only guide their relations forward along the right track, but also shoulder their share of international responsibilities and work for world peace and tranquility.

Xi stressed that he and Biden share the view that China and the U.S. need to respect each other, co-exist in peace and avoid confrontation, and that the two sides should increase communication and dialogue at all levels and in all fields. He pointed out that the China-U.S. relationship, instead of getting out of the predicament created by the previous U.S. administration, has encountered a growing number of challenges.

He cautioned that mishandling of the Taiwan question will have a disruptive impact on the bilateral ties, noting that the direct cause for the current situation in the China-U.S. relationship is that some people on the U.S. side have not followed through on the important common understanding reached by the two presidents.

Xi underscored that there have been and will continue to be differences between China and the U.S. However, what matters is to keep such differences under control. A steadily growing relationship is in the interest of both sides.

On Ukraine, Biden expounded on the U.S. position, and expressed readiness for communication with China to prevent the situation from worsening. Xi pointed out that China stands for peace and opposes war. This is embedded in China’s history and culture. China makes a conclusion independently based on the merits of each matter. It also advocates upholding international law and universally recognised norms governing international relations.

China adheres to the UN Charter and promotes the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. These are the major principles that underpin the country’s approach to the Ukraine crisis. China has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and is ready to provide further humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and other affected countries. All sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace. The U.S. and NATO should also have dialogue with Russia to address the crux of the Ukraine crisis and ease the security concerns of both Russia and Ukraine.

Xi stressed that with the need to fight COVID-19 on the one hand and protect the economy and people’s livelihoods on the other, things are already very difficult for countries around the world. As leaders of major countries, the duo need to think about how to properly address global hotspot issues and, more importantly, keep in mind global stability and the work and life of billions of people.

Sweeping and indiscriminate sanctions would only make the people suffer. If further escalated, they could trigger serious crises in global economy and trade, finance, energy, food, and industrial and supply chains, crippling the already languishing world economy and causing irrevocable losses. The more complex the situation, the greater the need to remain cool-headed and rational. Whatever the circumstances, there is always a need for political courage to create space for peace and leave room for political settlement.

The pressing priority is to keep the dialogue and negotiation going, avoid civilian casualties, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and cease hostilities as soon as possible. An enduring solution would be for major countries to respect each other, reject the Cold War mentality, refrain from bloc confrontation, and build step by step a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture for the region and for the world. China has been doing its best for peace and will continue to play a constructive role.