Xi Jinping offers Biden peaceful coexistence between China and U.S.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (photo: Getty Images)
Chinese President Xi Jinping told American President Joe Biden that their countries should strive for "peaceful coexistence" as the world's two largest economies try to stabilize tense relations, according to China Central Television.
In a New Year's letter commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States on January 1, 1979, Xi Jinping noted that “Over the past 45 years, China-US relations have weathered storms and moved forward. It has not only improved the well-being of people from both countries but also contributed to global peace, stability, and prosperity.”
"History has already proven and will continue to fully prove that mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation are the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other as two major countries, and that should be the direction of joint efforts made by China and the United States in the new era," he wrote.
Xi Jinping also recalled that on January 1, 1979, Washington officially severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of recognizing Beijing. Since then, the relationship has "not only enhanced the well-being of the two peoples, but also promoted world peace, stability, and prosperity," the Chinese leader added.
Joe Biden also sent Xi Jinping a congratulatory letter on the occasion of the 45th anniversary. In it, the American leader recognized that the relationship between the United States and China has contributed to prosperity and created opportunities for both countries, as well as for the rest of the world.
"I look forward to building on the progress made by our predecessors, as well as on our meetings and discussions, to continue to advance the relationship between the United States and China," Biden wrote.
Fragile U.S.-China relations
Relations between the two countries stabilized after Xi Jinping met with Biden in San Francisco in November 2023. At the same time, overall ties between the countries remain fragile, as there are fundamental disagreements over Beijing's close ties with Russia and its position on Taiwan, as well as U.S. trade restrictions on China.
In particular, during the San Francisco summit, Xi Jinping assured Biden that he would not invade Taiwan in the coming years.
However, already on December 20, Xi Jinping openly told Biden about his intention to "reunite Taiwan with mainland China."
