ANALYSIS:
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping presented sharply diverging views on the future of U.S.-Chinese relations during three hours of closed-door talks Monday. The dynamic of the meeting, preceded by a warm handshake, quickly became clear: The American president sought a return to greater bilateral engagement while the Chinese leader bluntly warned the United States to back off and not to cross its “red lines” regarding Taiwan and other issues.
According to the official White House readout, Mr. Biden emphasized avoiding conflict with what critics say in an increasingly aggressive China. The message: Washington does not want a “new cold war” in Asia and is seeking to turn down the temperature through more talks and reengagement aimed at easing tensions.