By Natalia Rueda 
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for four hours outside San Francisco to discuss a wide range of issues between the two nations. Despite growing tension and competition between the United States and China, both sides described the meeting as “constructive” and “productive.”
During the meeting, the two leaders addressed trade issues, with Biden pushing for a more balanced relationship between the two countries. They also discussed the fight against fentanyl, a deadly synthetic drug coming into the United States from China. Biden praised Xi for committing to reducing fentanyl precursor chemicals, a move that could save lives in the United States. These agreements could be a first step in improving the relationship between the two world powers.
Despite collaboration in these areas, Biden made no secret of his differences with Xi, calling him a “dictator” because of the communist system on which China is based. With this meeting, Biden has shown that he is willing to work on a more stable and collaborative relationship with China, although he is also determined to address areas of disagreement between the two countries.
At a time when the U.S.-China relationship has deteriorated in recent years, the meeting between Biden and Xi was a step forward. While competition will remain a key feature of the relationship between the two nations, it appears that both leaders are willing to find ways to work together for the benefit of each other and their citizens. With these efforts to find common ground, the U.S.-China relationship is expected to improve in the coming years.
With information from CNN