Remarks by President Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China Before Bilateral Meeting | Woodside, CA
11:23 A.M. PST
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Mr. President, it’s good to see you again.
We’ve spent many hours together over the last 10 or 12 years. And — and to host you in the United States is a great honor and a pleasure, particularly as it relates to our summit today and for the APEC Leaders’ Meeting this week.
Look, this time of year — about a year and a day ago, we met in Bali on the sidelines of the G20. Since then, key members of our teams have had important discussions on issues — matters to both our nations and to the world.
But as always, there is no substitute to face-to-face discussions. I’ve always found our discussions straightforward and frank, and I’ve always appreciated them.
Mr. President, we’ve known each other for a long time. We haven’t always agreed, which was not a surprise to anyone, but our meetings have always been candid, straightforward, and useful. I’ve never doubted what you’ve told me in terms of your candid nature in which you speak.
I value our conversation because I think it’s paramount that you and I understand each other clearly, leader to leader, with no misconceptions or miscommunication.
We have to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict. And we also have to manage it responsibly — that competition.
That’s what the United States want and what we intend to do. We also — I also believe that’s what the world wants from both of us: candid exchange.
We also have a responsibility to our people and the work — and the world to work together when we see it in our interest to do so.
And the critical global challenges we face, from climate change to counternarcotics to artificial intelligence, demand our joint efforts.
So, I look forward to beginning this discussion. And I welcome you.
And the floor is yours, Mr. President. And, again, welcome back.
PRESIDENT XI: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, good morning.
Coming here, I thought of — I think of your trip to China when I was the vice president of China. We had a meeting. It was 12 years ago. I still remember our interactions very vividly, and it always gives me a lot of thoughts.
Last time, we met in Bali. You said it was a year and a day ago. A lot has happened since then.
The world has emerged from the COVID pandemic, but it’s still under its tremendous impacts. The global economy is recovering, but its momentum remains sluggish. Industrial and supply chains are still under the threat of interruption and protectionism is rising. All these are grave problems.
The China-U.S. relationship, which is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, should be perceived and envisioned in a broad context of the — of the accelerating global transformations unseen in a century. It should develop in a way that benefits our two peoples and fulfills our responsibility for human progress.
China-U.S. relationship has never been smooth sailing over the past 50 years and more, and it always faces problems of one kind or another. Yet, it has kept moving forward amid twists and turns.
For two large countries like China and the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option. It is unrealistic for one side to remodel the other, and conflict and confrontation has unbearable consequences for both sides.
I am still of the view that major-country competition is not the prevailing trend of current times and cannot solve the problems facing China and the United States or the world at large. Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed, and one country’s success is an opportunity for the other.
It is an objective fact that China and the United States are different in history, culture, social system, and development path. However, as long as they respect each other, coexist in peace, and pursue win-win cooperation, they will be fully capable of rising above differences and find the right way for the two major countries to get along with each other.
I firmly believe in the promising future of the bilateral relationship.
Mr. President, you and I, we are at the helm of China-U.S. relations. We shoulder heavy responsibilities for the two peoples, for the world, and for history. I look forward to having an in-depth exchange of views and reach new — reach new understandings with you on strategic and overarching issues critical to the direction of China-U.S. relations and on major issues affecting world peace and development.
I wish to thank you for your thoughtful arrangements for our meeting today and for our participation at the APEC meeting.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, thank you, Mr. President.
