Chinese Premier Li’s G-20 debut eclipsed by President Xi in state media
The Straits TimesSep 11, 2023
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G20: Biden Meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang
Last updated Sep 11, 2023
Image credit: Wikimedia CommonsFacts
- US Pres. Joe Biden has revealed that he held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the recently concluded G20 summit in New Delhi — the highest-level meeting between the two nations since discussions between Biden and the PRC Pres. Xi Jinping 10 months ago.
- Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on Sunday, Biden stated that his team and staff "still meets with President Xi's cabinet" and claimed that his meeting earlier in the day with Li "wasn't confrontational at all."
- Biden — who discussed "stability" with Li, who was standing in for Xi — insisted that he wanted "to see China succeed economically," though he added that this would have to occur "by the rules."
- Commenting on China's economy, the US president claimed that "major economic tenets" of Beijing's plan were not functional at the present moment, adding Xi had "his hands full right now" amid economic turmoil.
- Additionally, Biden said that current economic conditions in China meant that Beijing "probably doesn't have the same capacity" to potentially invade Taiwan.
- Meanwhile, Li stressed that "China's development is an opportunity for the US, not a challenge." China's foreign ministry had previously stated it was time for the US to abandon a Cold War framework — a framework that Biden denied the US is operating under.
Spin
Anti-China narrative
Li Qiang's time at the G20 summit can't be viewed as a success for Beijing. While Chinese media chose to focus on Xi Jinping's trip to the north-eastern Heilongjiang province, Li's minimal meetings in New Delhi led to very few wins. China's presence at the G20 summit lacked influence — providing an excellent opportunity for India to shine as a leading Asian nation and the US to reaffirm ties in the Middle East.
Pro-China narrative
China is a global economic powerhouse — comprising 43% of the global economy pre-pandemic — and Beijing and Washington have every opportunity to peacefully coexist. Sadly, US fears of China's power have damaging international consequences in a multipolar world. Washington must accept that there's enough space for both Chinese and American growth in the world.
Nerd narrative
There's a 19% chance of a US-China war before 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
