“Intense Diplomacy or a diplomatic Showdown?” Biden and Xi’s Summit amid US-China Tensions

The upcoming meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is sure to bring intense diplomacy among the two countries. Tensions between the U.S. and China have been high for years, with the two countries engaged in a trade war and rivalries over tech, and the environment. Relations have also been strained by sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Chinese entities, as well as the detention of certain individuals and entities by the Chinese government. It is therefore unsurprising that the Biden-Xi meeting will be important in terms of attempting to lessen the tensions between the two nations. It is expected that the two leaders will discuss a range of issues including trade, climate change, human rights, and the coronavirus pandemic. The Biden-Xi meeting is scheduled to take place in Anchorage, Alaska in March 2021. It will mark the first time that President Biden and President Xi have met in person since the former took office in January 2021. In anticipation of the talks, both sides have engaged in diplomatic sparring, attempting to set the agenda for talks and gain the upper hand during the meeting. The purpose of the talks, and the direction they will take, is still up for debate. While the Biden administration has signaled a desire for a better relationship between the U.S. and China, it has not softened its stance on certain issues, such as human rights and trade. It is likely that the two sides will agree on certain principles, such as cooperation on issues related to the pandemic and climate, but may still remain at loggerheads on thornier points of contention. Given the current state of relations between the U.S. and China, the Biden-Xi meeting will serve as a forum for intense diplomacy. How the discussions will ultimately play out is uncertain, but it is certain that the meeting offers an important opportunity for both sides to improve the relationship and reset the framework for future negotiations.