President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are in the middle of talks Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering, as Biden looks to manage the relationship between the world's two largest economies.
The two men grasped hands ahead of their bilateral meeting at the Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside, California, just outside of San Francisco. At the top of their bilateral meeting, Mr. Biden said there is no substitute for face-to-face discussions, and it's important to ensure that "competition doesn't veer into conflict."
Through an interpreter, Xi called the China-U.S. relationship the most important bilateral relationship in the world, and said "turning our backs on each other is not an option."
It is Biden's second in-person meeting with Xi since he took office, although the two have also spoken virtually and Mr. Biden met with Xi many times before taking office. This is the first time they have spoken since their last meeting, which was in November 2022 in Bali, Indonesia, a senior administration said.
