Huffington Post “U.S.-China summit looked like a couple on the verge of divorce.”

U.S. President Joe Biden (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their summit at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, near San Francisco, on November 15. © Reuters=News1 © News1 Lee Kwang-ho

The U.S.-China summit held on November 15 saw both leaders behaving like a couple on the verge of divorce, according to a report by the Huffington Post on November 16.

The summit took place at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, San Francisco, California, well-known for its grand weddings.

Despite the setting, both leaders acted as if they were a couple on the brink of divorce, seemingly ready to fight but maintaining civility for the sake of their “children”.

The leaders met for four hours, successfully agreeing on fentanyl control and the restoration of military communication channels between the two countries. However, they failed to narrow their differences on the most pressing issues, such as the Taiwan problem and the U.S.’s ban on technology exports to China.

President Xi requested President Biden to express opposition to Taiwan’s independence, but Biden countered that the U.S.’s position is to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and that China should respect Taiwan’s electoral process. This was essentially a warning against interfering in Taiwan’s elections.

Both leaders also drew a parallel line on U.S. export controls. When President Xi claimed that “U.S. export controls are seriously damaging China’s legitimate interests,” President Biden reaffirmed his stance that he “will not provide technology related to national security to China”.

This clearly highlighted the difference in positions on the most contentious issues.

In particular, President Biden’s reference to President Xi as a “dictator” in a press conference immediately following the summit was a stark ‘illustration’ of the difference in perceptions between the two countries.

U.S. President Joe Biden holds a press conference after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Filoli Estate near Woodside, San Francisco, California, on November 15. 2023.11.16 © Reuters=News1 © News1 Woo Dong-myung

In this context, both the U.S. and Taiwan are entering the year of presidential elections. The year 2024 begins with the Taiwanese presidential election and ends with the U.S. presidential election.

Taiwan’s presidential election is scheduled for January. The Taiwanese opposition parties have agreed to run a joint campaign in the upcoming election, increasing the likelihood of a China-friendly government taking power in Taiwan.

President Biden himself will have to devote all his energy to the presidential election campaign next year as the U.S. presidential election is scheduled for the end of next year.

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. © AFP=News1 © News1 Kim Sung-sik

Therefore, the possibility of another summit between the two countries in the near future is not high.

The U.S. is entering the election phase in the most dangerous situation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

As the U.S. presidential race heats up, the candidates are likely to engage in ‘China bashing’. Therefore, the Huffington Post predicts that tensions between the two countries are likely to escalate even further.

sinopark@news1.kr