The White House said President Joe Biden called Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday morning to discuss China's trade with Russia amid its war with Ukraine, cyberattacks and election interference, illicit narcotics traffic, and other regional and global issues.
The "check-in" call between Biden and Xi, their first since November, was an opportunity to discuss tough issues and ensure that the two countries are responsibly managing their competition, a senior administration official told reporters Monday evening.
The White House stated in a call readout that China's trade with Russia as it wages war against Ukraine came up, a topic that has been part of U.S.-China diplomatic contacts since the war began, a senior administration official said. The individual said the U.S. is more concerned about China rebuilding Russia's defense industrial base.
The White House stated in a call readout that China's trade with Russia as it wages war against Ukraine came up, a topic that has been part of U.S.-China diplomatic contacts since the war began, a senior administration official said. The individual said the U.S. is more concerned about China rebuilding Russia's defense industrial base.
Asked what Biden told Xi about Chinese government or associate misinformation campaigns or election interference, Kirby said the administration has been clear about its concerns over election security in the U.S. and foreign actors, including China, influencing the 2024 election.
Wisconsin voters pass two GOP-backed ballot initiatives to reform elections. The senior official said in the call preview that the Biden administration has made a whole-of-government effort to protect elections from foreign adversaries and continues to raise concerns with China and other countries.
He added that it's not enough to take the Chinese at their word on that and other matters, requiring verification of Beijing's efforts. The official said the administration will also communicate with China about cyberattacks on key infrastructure.
The senior administration official said Biden used the call to reaffirm the longstanding “One China” policy that recognizes Beijing as China's only legal government amid Xi's efforts to reunify Taiwan with mainland China and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, especially ahead of the May presidential inauguration in Taiwan.
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