Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet US counterpart Joe Biden at the Group of 20 industrialised nations (G20) summit next week on the tropical island of Bali in Indonesia, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday, confirming their first highly anticipated in-person talks just weeks after Xi secured a historic third term as China’s leader.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 17th Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Bali, Indonesia, from November 14 to 17, at the invitation of President Joko Widodo of the Republic of Indonesia,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.
The White House announced the meeting on Thursday, saying Biden and Xi, at the meeting on Monday, will “discuss efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication”, as well as how to “responsibly manage competition and work together where our interests align”.
Since Biden took office two years ago, Xi and Biden have spoken on the phone several times, but the Covid-19 pandemic and Xi’s decision not to travel abroad until last September have prevented a face-to-face meeting.
Xi will also visit Thailand from November 17 to 19, at Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-invitation, cha’s to attend the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok, according to Hua.
In the coming days, Xi will “hold bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, Senegalese President Macky Sall, and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez,” among other world leaders.
In late October, Xi said China is willing to work with the US to find the “right way to get along with each other in the new era”.
“China stands ready to work with the US to find the right way to get along with each other in the new era on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, which will benefit not only the two countries but also the whole world,” Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state media in a message to an event held by the National Committee on US-China Relations (NCUSCR) on October 27.
Beijing and Washington have fought over a variety of issues, including Taiwan and China’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to India’s external affairs ministry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the G20 summit and hold bilateral meetings with some of his counterparts on the sidelines.
There has been no official confirmation that Modi and Xi will meet on the sidelines of the summit.