California

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) met Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and underscored the US support for a free and open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient. Biden reaffirmed the US’ iron-clad commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies, according to the White House’s readout of the meeting.

The White House’s readout of Biden’s meeting with Xi stated, President Biden underscored the United States’ support for a free and open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient. The President reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to defending our Indo-Pacific allies.

The President emphasized the United States’ enduring commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight, adherence to international law, maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and East China Sea, and the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, it added.

During the meeting, Biden raised concerns over China’s human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

President Biden underscored the universality of human rights and the responsibility of all nations to respect their international human rights commitments. He raised concerns regarding PRC human rights abuses, including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, according to the White House readout.

On Taiwan, Biden stressed that the one-China policy of the US has not changed and has been consistent across decades and administrations. He called for restraint in China’s use of military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait. Biden emphasised that it remains a priority to resolve the cases of US nationals who have been wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China.