Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden have met in Bali ahead of the G20 summit, at a time when relations between the two countries are at an all-time low, beset by a range of issues from Taiwan to trade disputes.
The two statesmen have spoken privately for the first time since Biden became president, and the G20 meeting, which begins on Tuesday, is sure to monitor tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The pair agreed that nuclear weapons should never be used, including against Ukraine, a White House statement said.
“President Biden and President Xi reiterated their agreement that nuclear war must never happen and can never be won, and emphasized their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine,” the White House said.
Relations between the US and China have soured following the latter’s actions in Taiwan. The White House said Biden and Xi spoke frankly about global issues, while the US president expressed concern about China’s policies towards Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“Biden expressed U.S. opposition to the People’s Republic of China’s increasingly aggressive and coercive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the wider region and threaten global prosperity,” the statement said.