Diplomacy: Beijing demands concessions from USA before Xi-Biden meeting

China is demanding political concessions from Washington on some controversial issues ahead of President Xi Jinping’s meeting with US President Joe Biden. The United States should respect China’s legitimate concerns and the People’s Republic’s right to develop instead of focusing on harming China’s interests, Foreign Office spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing. China hopes that America does not want a new Cold War or is looking for a conflict with the People’s Republic, but wants to put relations back on a “stable path of development.”

Xi and Biden plan to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco this week. According to Mao Ning, the topics are problems in the relations between the two countries as well as questions about peace and world development. The war in the Gaza Strip is also likely to be on the list of topics.

Taiwan issue

In China’s relationship with Taiwan, Xi is likely to demand from Biden that the USA not interfere. Beijing counts Taiwan as part of China’s territory, even though the island has had an independent democratic government for decades. Washington had assured the government in Taipei of support. Mao Ning said that the United States should adhere to the principle that China and Taiwan are one.

Regarding the dispute between the People’s Republic and the Philippines over areas in the South China Sea, Beijing made it clear that it did not want to give up any of it. The exchange of blows between the US-backed Philippines and China repeatedly erupts through risky maneuvers by the coast guards of both sides on small reefs that the countries claim as their own. China is willing to negotiate differences, Mao Ning said. However, the US should stop interfering in the dispute over territorial claims between China and other countries.