President Joe Biden spoke on the phone Tuesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their first conversation since meeting last November in California.
The two leaders were set to speak about climate change, the economic relationship between the U.S. and China as well as progress on artificial intelligence and countering illegal drug flow, such as fentanyl, according to a senior administration official.
Officials downplayed expectations ahead of Tuesday’s call, describing it as a “check in” amid the administration’s efforts to “maintain regular open lines of communication to responsibly manage competition and prevent unintended consequences.”
When Biden and Xi met in Woodside outside San Francisco last year, both men agreed to keep talking as they face global challenges. Their phone conversation on Tuesday, a senior administration official said, was about “finding a chance for the two leaders to talk through the tough issues.”
In this Nov. 15, 2023, file photo, President Joe Biden greets China’s President President Xi Jinping at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, Calif., on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative conference.
Doug Mills/The New York Times, Pool via AP
The White House called the conversation “candid and constructive.”
“They reviewed and encouraged progress on key issues discussed at the Woodside Summit, including counternarcotics cooperation, ongoing military-to-military communication, talks to address AI-related risks, and continuing efforts on climate change and people-to-people exchanges,” according to a readout of the phone call.
Biden also emphasized “the importance of maintaining peace and stability” in Taiwan and raised concerns about China’s support for Russia’s military defense.
On the domestic front, according to the White House, Biden talked with Xi about trade policies and other economic practices that “harm American workers and families.”
It was also announced Tuesday that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to China on Wednesday for a week of bilateral meetings and other engagements. Her trip will focus on pressuring her Chinese counterparts on those trade practices as well as expanding cooperation between the U.S. and China against illicit finance and progressing work on shared priorities like financial stability and addressing climate change, according to a senior Treasury official.
“The two leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication and responsibly manage the relationship through high-level diplomacy and working-level consultations in the weeks and months ahead, including during upcoming visits by Secretary Yellen and Secretary Blinken,” the White House said.
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.