Xi Jinping’s Shocking Revelation: China Wants to Be Friends with the U.S.

Xi Jinping Attends Dinner with American Business Leaders
“We are not adversaries but partners… China is not a threat.”
Biden’s Remarks Immediately After the Meeting: “Xi Jinping is a dictator.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated on the 15th (local time) after the U.S.-China summit that China wants a friendly relationship with the U.S. and does not intend to confiscate America’s position or pursue hegemony.

Partners or Enemies? President Xi’s Critical Question

President Xi, who attended a dinner with U.S. business leaders in San Francisco during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, said, “The most important question I need to address is whether we are enemies or partners.”

While discussing U.S.-China relations, he pointed out, “If one views the other as a major competitor, the most serious geopolitical challenge, and an impending threat, it will only lead to policy decisions based on incorrect information, actions resulting from misjudgment, and unwanted outcomes.” He continued, “(The U.S.) viewing China as a threat is a wrong perspective and can lead to zero-sum thinking,” adding, “The United States should not bet against China.”

Second Face-to-Face Summit: Key Moments in Woodside

President Xi had his second face-to-face summit with President Joe Biden in Woodside, near San Francisco, just before dinner with American business leaders. It was the first face-to-face meeting in 366 days since their meeting in Bali, Indonesia, last November. During the subsequent dinner with U.S. business leaders, President Xi repeatedly sent a message that both countries should see each other as partners, not enemies, and work towards building a friendly relationship.

President Xi stated, “No matter what stage of development China reaches, it will not pursue hegemony or expansion” and “will not impose China’s will on other countries.” He emphasized, “China does not seek spheres of influence and will not engage in cold or hot wars with anyone.”

Also, he directly mentioned that China does not want to usurp America’s position. He said, “I always have concerns in my heart about navigating the huge ship of China-U.S. relations,” and “I hope California will take the lead in improving China-U.S. relations.”

Restoring Military Dialogue and Addressing Narcotics: Summit Agreements

On the same day, the U.S. and Chinese leaders agreed to restore military dialogue channels that were suspended due to deteriorating bilateral relations and to cooperate in blocking the distribution of fentanyl, a narcotic analgesic, through their first face-to-face meeting in a year. They also agreed to establish a dialogue channel to respond to the risks of artificial intelligence (AI). However, they showed apparent differences in views on issues related to export controls on advanced technology to China and Taiwan.

After the summit, President Biden called President Xi a “dictator,” casting a shadow over the achievements of the meeting that was held for the first time in a year. When asked by reporters after the summit whether he still sees Xi as a dictator, he replied, “Well, look, he is.” He explained, “He is someone who operates a communist state based on a completely different form of government from ours,” and “in that sense, he is a dictator.”

Media and Expert Opinions on U.S.-China Relations

Foreign media pointed out that President Biden’s dictator remarks reveal the limits of the U.S. and China’s efforts to ease tense relations. Politico, a U.S. political specialist media, reported, “President Biden’s candid assessment of the Chinese leader reflects the increasingly cooling relationship between the two countries,” and “This remark could provoke China’s backlash. There are still flaws in (U.S.-China relations).”

CNN evaluated, “Expectations for the U.S.-China summit were low, and they met,” and “Both sides want to avoid a disastrous confrontation, but the trajectory of U.S.-China relations is heading towards conflict. However, it must be constantly managed to prevent it from erupting into a public conflict.”

By. Kwon Ha Young