Biden and Xi meet virtually as US-China chasm widens

By AAMER MADHANI and COLLEEN LONG
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has opened his virtual meeting with China’s Xi Jinping by saying their goal should be to ensure that competition between the two superpowers “does not veer into conflict.” Xi says, “China and the United States need to increase communication and cooperation.” The two leaders are meeting Monday by video amid mounting tensions in the U.S.-China relationship. Biden has criticized Beijing over human rights abuses against Uyghurs in northwest China, suppression of democratic protests in Hong Kong, military aggression against the self-ruled island of Taiwan and more. Xi’s deputies, meanwhile, have lashed out against the Biden White House for interfering in what it sees as internal Chinese matters.