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Biden, Xi hold first phone call as Quad set to meet in Washington
During the call, Biden’s message was that the United States wants to ensure "that the dynamic remains competitive and that we don't have any situation in the future where we veer into unintended conflict," a senior administration official told reporters.
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US Vice President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping toast during a State Luncheon for China hosted by US Secretary of State John Kerry on September 25, 2015 at the Department of State in Washington, DC. (Agence France Presse/Paul J. Richards)
U
S President Joe Biden talked with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time in seven months Thursday, seeking to ensure that "competition" between the two powers does not become "conflict," the White House said.
During the call, Biden’s message was that the United States wants to ensure "that the dynamic remains competitive and that we don't have any situation in the future where we veer into unintended conflict," a senior administration official told reporters.
Meanwhile, the United States, Japan, Australia and India are finalizing a plan to hold their first face-to-face summit under the Quad grouping in Washington on Sept. 24 to discuss their ties to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese and US diplomatic sources said Thursday.
The leaders of the four nations are also expected to raise the situation in Afghanistan, when China could recognize the interim government by the Islamist militant Taliban, which regained control of the country by force last month.
The development comes as Biden has proposed the summit in hopes of facilitating cooperation among the four countries, and as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga seeks to assure that Tokyo's commitment to the Japan-US alliance will continue after he leaves office, according to the sources, quoted by Kyodo News.
Last week, Suga expressed his intention not to seek re-election as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party when it holds its presidential election on Sept. 29. The LDP leader concurrently serves as prime minister as the party controls the House of Representatives. His term as party leader will expire on Sept. 30.
The four leaders also including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference in mid-March but a face-to-face meeting has yet to be held.
