Resumption of military talks, discussions on fentanyl and AI regulations.
President Joe Biden of the United States and President Xi Jinping of China will reunite after a year for a summit at Filoli Historic House, a grand estate with a 106-year history. The two leaders plan to spend approximately four hours on the 15th (local time) discussing issues like semiconductor export controls and the Taiwan issue, which are key interests of both countries, as well as the resumption of military dialogue and regulations on fentanyl.
The New York Times (NYT) reports that discussions will focus broadly on normalizing U.S.-China relations, currently at their worst point in 40 years. Citing a high-ranking U.S. official, the NYT adds that both sides are likely to agree on regulating the raw materials for fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller rapidly spreading in U.S. society and produced in China. They also pointed out the high possibility of discussing regulations to block the potential disruption of nuclear weapon command and control systems using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Touching on Semiconductors, Taiwan, and Global Conflicts
They also plan to discuss sensitive issues like the significant causes of the U.S.-China conflict, semiconductor export controls, Taiwan, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Chinese state-run media have proposed five conditions for normalizing U.S.-China relations, including not supporting Taiwan’s independence, ahead of the U.S.-China summit last November, urging compliance with the so-called ‘Bali Agreement’ agreed upon by the two leaders.
The NYT evaluated, “High-ranking bureaucrats in the Biden administration are striving to lower public expectations about what specific agreements the two sides will reach at this meeting,” and “They are placing more emphasis on the fact that the leaders of the two superpowers have resumed communication, rather than the specific results of the summit.” It has been about a year since the two leaders met for the first face-to-face meeting, which lasted about three hours in Bali, Indonesia, last November.
Filoli: A Historic Setting
The summit will take place at the historic Filoli Estate, located on the northern coast of California. The White House has not officially confirmed the venue, but foreign media have reported that the U.S. and Chinese leaders will spend about four hours here, having lunch, walking, and meeting.
Voice of America (VOA) reports, “The two leaders plan to hold a meeting for about four hours, including a working lunch, a garden walk, and a small meeting with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Tony Blinken in attendance.” VOA also reported that other bureaucrats will also meet separately on specific issues.
The famous tourist destination, Filoli Historic House, is located about 25 miles south of San Francisco, the venue for the APEC summit on the Pacific coast. The estate, which spans more than 1 square mile, has a Georgian-style mansion, a garden in the style of the British Renaissance, orchards, and walking trails. It was built in 1917 as the private residence of William B. Bourn II and his wife, gold mine owners after the Gold Rush in the western U.S. ended. It was donated to the National Trust in 1975 and opened to the public.
Analysts suggest that choosing a secluded private estate as the meeting venue reflects China’s desire to differentiate it from the APEC event. VOA reported that Chinese bureaucrats had requested a separate venue from the APEC summit and wanted a more extended meeting time than the summit last November. Bonnie Glaser, executive director of the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program, analyzed that the location could satisfy President Xi’s expectations as it is separate from the APEC venue.
President Biden and President Xi’s Arrival
President Biden and President Xi arrived in San Francisco, where the APEC summit is being held, on their private jets at 1:15 p.m. and 2:35 p.m. the previous day. Xi’s visit to the U.S. is the first in six years since the Donald Trump administration in 2017. From the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and California Governor Gavin Newsom, among others, welcomed President Xi at the airport. From the Chinese side, Ambassador to the U.S. Qin Gang was among those who greeted President Xi.
By. Jo Yujin
Most Commented