World Leaders Arrive, Long-Waited Biden-Xi Bilateral Talks to Take Place

The G20 Summit starts on Nov. 14, 2022. Biden and Xi will hold a bilateral meeting.

MANDEL NGAN,ANTHONY WALLACE

This combination of file pictures created on June 08, 2021, shows US President Joe Biden (left) speaking at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC on June 2, 2021; and Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking on arrival at Macau's international airport on December 18, 2019.

BADUNG KOMPAS - World leaders attending the Group of 20 Summit in Nusa Dua started to arrive in Bali on the evening of Sunday (11/13/2022). They are scheduled to speak at the forum and hold various bilateral dialogues. One of the agenda items that many are looking forward to is a meeting between United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

State leaders and country representatives gradually landed at Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Russia is represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The summit is the highest meeting for the group of the 19 largest economies in the world and the European Union. In spite of this, Putin decided not to attend the G20 Summit. He does not want the summit to lose focus and become a political debating ground.

The US Embassy in Jakarta said Biden's bilateral agenda had not been confirmed yet. The agenda was subject to change until the US presidential plane, Air Force One, landed.

Likewise, the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta has not yet announced the schedule for Xi's arrival or bilateral meeting.

Also read:

> Neither US Nor China Want New Cold War

> 17 World Leaders Confirmed to Attend G20 Summit

However, the information circulating over the past week says that Biden and Xi are confirmed to meet. The US wants to discuss four issues with China: North Korea's nuclear missile tests, China's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's rising intrusion in the Taiwan Strait, as well as trade and supply chain wars.

Relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in early August. China ramped up the scale of its military exercises, even firing missiles that later fell into Japanese waters.

This all led to the increasing vigilance of the US, Japan and South Korea, as they increased the intensity of war training.

Biden has said three times that the US will send military forces to defend Taiwan if China attacks the territory. This explicit statement was conveyed in a television interview show, 60 Minutes, in October. The TV presenter even confirmed that Biden would not deploy troops to Ukraine, but he was willing to deploy troops to Taiwan. Biden agreed.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

The delegation of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov passed in the Nusa Dua area, Bali, on Sunday (11/13/2022). Delegations from various countries began to arrive in Bali to attend the G20 Summit.

In relation to North Korea, White House Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Biden wanted to share US perceptions with Xi. “In essence, if North Korea carries out nuclear weapons tests or increases nuclear enrichment for weapons, the United States will increase its military presence in the region," he said.

Nevertheless, Sullivan emphasized that Biden would not ask Xi to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Biden’s talk would be focused on the US view. XI’s decision to talk to Kim rests with Beijing.

Some Washington politicians welcomed Biden's intention. They believe that it is time for the US to take a firm stand and show that the US has no doubts about settling the issues of Taiwan and the South China Sea.

AFP/HECTOR RETAMAL

One of China's outer islands closest to Taiwan's territory is seen from a distance from a Chinese warship (left) patrolling near Pingtan Island, on Friday (8/5/2022). China's military exercises in Taiwan's territorial waters have created a negative impact on the global economy.

This Biden-Xi meeting will be the first since Biden was sworn in as US president in 2021. They first met when they served as vice presidents of their respective countries in 2011. During his tenure as vice president, Biden said he had spent a total of 67 hours with Xi. Both had a tour of the US, including a visit to a rural area in the state of Iowa where Xi was on a student exchange program.

Complexity

This bilateral face-to-face meeting is pivotal due to the complexity of the US-China relationship and the current world situation. "Online discussions are not sufficient for resolving the issues. Face-to-face talks allow for various gestures and speeches with a more meaningful approach than just merely political chats," said Xiong Zhiyong, a lecturer at China University of International Relations.

However, some observers of foreign policy and international relations from the US are pessimistic that Xi will listen to Biden. Everything has to be transactional for Xi. That is the reason behind their doubt. If the US wants something from China, they [the US] must also have policies or programs that are favorable to China.

STEFANI REYNOLDS

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken (second from right) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) hold a bilateral meeting in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali, on Saturday (7/9/2022).

“Xi doesn't even want to listen to moderate voices from the Chinese Communist Party. He has been adamant with his agenda, regardless of comments, protests and criticism from outside parties," said Bruce Dickson, an international politics expert from George Washington University.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told the Global Times the focus of Xi's presence at the G20 Summit was to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation in the name of the global macroeconomy. Beijing emphasizes the importance of inclusive cooperation to ensure free trade and globalization. This all is based on the spirit of not interfering with each other, having peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial solutions.

“Now is not the time for geopolitical camps,” Zhao said. (AFP/AP)

This article was translated by Aulia R. Sungkar