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Biden says Xi meeting at G20 summit would discuss US-China ‘red lines’
- On Taiwan, American leader declines to comment on whether he would confirm to his counterpart defending self-ruled island if Beijing attacked
- Biden suggests he could also discuss China’s growing nuclear arsenal as well as ‘fair trade’ issues
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Jacob Fromerin Washington
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he would discuss American “red lines” over Taiwan among other issues during an expected meeting next week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
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“Look, I’m not willing to make any fundamental concessions,” Biden said during a post-election press conference at the White House, when asked if he would tell Xi whether the US would defend the self-ruled island from a Chinese attack.
“What I want to do with him when we talk is lay out what each of our red lines are, understand what he believes to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be in the critical interests in the United States, and to determine whether or not they conflict with one another,” he said. “And if they do, how to resolve and how to work it out.”
The comments from Biden came just days before a much-anticipated meeting is expected to take place between him and Xi during next week’s Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, which would be the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since Biden took office in January 2021.
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Washington and Beijing have yet to formally confirm that the meeting will happen, but both men are expected to attend the summit.
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