Old photo, birthday wish, ravioli lunch: Personal diplomacy on display during Xi-Biden meeting - The Straits Times

BEIJING - As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the lush Filoli estate outside San Francisco on Wednesday, United States President Joe Biden, who was waiting to greet him, pulled out an iPhone to show the Chinese leader a picture of a man posing in front of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

“I know,” Mr Xi said with a smile. “It’s me 38 years ago.”

“You haven’t changed a bit,” Mr Biden quipped, to laughter from the gathered crowd of staff and fellow officials.

Later, while walking Mr Xi to his Chinese-made Hongqi limousine after the meeting, Mr Biden remarked that it was a “beautiful vehicle”, much like the American presidential “Beast”.

Breaking into a smile, Mr Xi chuckled as he asked an aide to show Mr Biden the car’s interior.

These vignettes were among many touches of personal diplomacy on display during Wednesday’s highly anticipated meeting between the two leaders.

Associate Professor Alfred Wu from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said Mr Xi was “trying to make himself more personable for the domestic audience, to show that he can hold his own against the leader of the US”.

“But whether he can convince the American public that China isn’t a threat, that is another thing altogether,” he added.

The special summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting comes amid a recent thaw in bilateral relations.

Ties had hit a nadir earlier in 2023 after the US shot down a Chinese weather balloon it said was used for spying, and Washington enacted a raft of restrictions and sanctions on Chinese companies, preventing their access to cutting-edge chip technology, citing national security concerns.

Wednesday’s four hours of face time between leaders of the world’s two largest economies have thus been aimed at putting a floor under the relationship and setting the stage for cooperation despite their underlying differences on a range of issues.

During the official meeting, Mr Biden even relayed wishes for a “Happy Birthday” to Mr Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan – to which Mr Xi responded that he was so busy he had forgotten.

After a lunch of ricotta ravioli with artichoke chips, tarragon roasted chicken and a dessert of almond meringue cake, both men were seen chatting casually during a walk on the grounds of Filoli.

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2023-11-16 21:00:00Z
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Southeast Asia countries urge powerful nations to use their influence to stop war in Gaza: Indonesian defence minister - CNA

JAKARTA: Several countries in Southeast Asia - including Indonesia and Malaysia - have urged the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza to stop and for influential countries to use their power to protect civilians, said Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto. 

“We asked all countries that have influence to immediately use their influence to stop actions against innocent people, unarmed civilian groups who are non-combatants, women, children, and (to) protect all infrastructures for civilians. 

“And they must not be the target of war. This is per international law. Humanitarian law,” said Mr Prabowo at a press conference on Thursday (Nov 16) on the second day of the 17th Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Jakarta.  

Defence ministers from the regional bloc - aside from Myanmar - met for the annual two-day meeting. They were joined by their eight dialogue partners Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States on the second day.

Mr Prabowo - who chaired the meeting as Indonesia is this year’s rotating chair of ASEAN - said that several ministers expressed their concerns over the war in Gaza and encouraged them to do everything to stop the violence there immediately.

A chairman’s statement on the situation in the Middle East released to the public later in the day said there is a pressing need for constructive dialogue to commence without delay, mentioning the situation in Gaza.

“The ADMM exchanged views and expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza,” the statement read.

An ASEAN statement released on the first day of the meeting did not mention Gaza. 

The chairman’s statement on Thursday further called for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” to stop the violence there.

“(We urge) both parties to respect the sanctity of life and property, emphasising that the protection of all civilians, including ASEAN nationals, must be prioritised in times of conflict, and all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally,” read the statement.

It added: “The meeting further called upon the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to take a more active role in preventing the further escalation of the conflict and averting a wider humanitarian disaster.” 

The statement also said the meeting supported the initiation of peace negotiations to achieve a two-state solution. 

Previous ASEAN defence ministers’ meetings mostly also produced a chairman’s statement but were usually not on a particular topic. 

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2023-11-16 12:36:58Z
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Israeli troops deepen search at main Gaza hospital for evidence of Hamas - CNA

The Israeli military made no mention of finding any tunnel entrances in Al Shifa. It previously said Hamas had built a network of tunnels under the hospital. Hamas has denied it and dismissed the latest army statements.

"The occupation forces are still lying ... as they brought some weapons, clothes and tools and placed them in the hospital in a scandalous manner," Qatar-based Hamas senior member Ezzat El Rashq said.

"We have repeatedly called for a committee from the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Red Cross to verify the lies of the occupation."

Israeli forces raided the Shifa complex on Wednesday evening "for the second time in 24 hours", WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, reported.

Bulldozers and military vehicles were used, the agency said, citing local sources.

Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency reported early on Thursday that Israeli tanks raided Al Shifa from the complex's southern side and that gunfire was heard in the area.

Israel began its campaign against the Islamist group that rules Gaza after militants rampaged through southern Israel on Oct 7.

Israel says 1,200 people were killed and some 240 people taken hostage in the deadliest day of its 75-year-old history.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, but has not put forward a plan for after the war as to who would govern Gaza.

Biden said on Wednesday that he had made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a two-state solution was the only way to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict and that occupying Gaza would be "a big mistake".

Biden told reporters he was doing everything in his power to free hostages held by Hamas militants, but that did not mean sending in the US military.

Washington has boosted its military presence in the Middle East, sending two aircraft carriers and support ships to the region, to prevent the conflict spreading and to deter Iran, a long-time backer of Hamas, from getting involved.

Iran's supreme leader told the head of Hamas when they met in Tehran in early November, according to three senior officials: You gave us no warning of your Oct 7 attack on Israel and we will not enter the war on your behalf.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Ismail Haniyeh that Iran would continue to lend Hamas political and moral support, but wouldn't intervene directly, said the Iranian and Hamas officials with knowledge of the discussions who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely.

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2023-11-16 06:04:00Z
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CNA Explains: How crucial was the Xi Jinping-Joe Biden meet, and what does it mean for US-China ties? - CNA

What next for China, US and the rest of the world?

Beijing’s main expectations for the talks was for more stability in US-China ties, and more concrete actions from Washington to improve relations, said Prof Zhu.

Zhang Yang, an assistant professor at American University’s School of International Service, told the AP that symbolically, Xi also wanted to signal to the Chinese people that Biden respects him and that he’s been handling their relationship well.

In a solo news conference after their meeting, Biden said he stood by his view that Xi was a dictator “in the sense” of the Chinese President running a communist country “based on a form of government different” than the US’. 

A similar reference in June sparked fury from Beijing, though there was no immediate reaction from the Chinese delegation in San Francisco.

“The overall relationship is still very difficult and tense due to structural problems and lack of mutual trust,” said Prof Zhu. But he was “cautiously optimistic” that things would slightly improve after the summit.

“There are many areas that both sides can work together on, despite the differences,” he added, calling for pragmatism and a focus on common interests in the likes of climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, trade and global health.

On Thursday however Xi and Biden remained far apart on the long-running flashpoint of Taiwan, with their rhetoric unmoving from recent spats.

US officials said the two leaders had a substantial but “clear-headed” back and forth over the island which China claims sovereignty over. 

Biden reportedly asked Xi to “respect” elections in Taiwan next year, while Xi said China had no plans to invade in coming years. He also told Biden that peaceful reunification was “unstoppable”.

"Look, peace is ... all well and good but at some point we need to move towards resolution more generally," said Xi, according to US officials.

Prof Zhu said both sides would be careful not to come across as interfering in Taiwan's 2024 polls.

“They will have to wait until the election outcome is out, and see who will be the winner, and then perhaps they will decide whether they will adjust policy towards Taiwan,” he said.

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2023-11-16 05:42:00Z
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Biden, Xi agree to open presidential hotline, resume military communications - The Straits Times

Military, Taiwan

Mr Biden requested that both countries institutionalise the military-to-military dialogues, and United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin will meet his Chinese counterpart when that person is named, a senior US official said.

Mr Biden and Mr Xi agreed China would stem the export of items related to the production of the opioid fentanyl, a leading cause of drug overdoses in the United States.

“It’s going to save lives,” Mr Biden said, adding he appreciated Mr Xi’s “commitment” on the issue.

Under the agreement, China will go directly after specific chemical companies that make fentanyl precursors, the senior US official told reporters. He vowed to “trust but verify” Chinese actions on the drug.

The two leaders also agreed to get experts together to discuss the risks of artificial intelligence.

A US official described an exchange over Taiwan, the democratic island that China claims as its territory.

China’s preference is for peaceful reunification with the Chinese-claimed island of Taiwan, Mr Xi told Mr Biden, the US official said, but Mr Xi went on to talk about conditions in which force could be used.

Mr Biden said he stressed the need for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The US official said Mr Biden argued to maintain the status quo and for China to respect Taiwan’s electoral process.

“President Xi responded, ‘Look, peace is all well and good, but at some point we need to move towards resolution more generally,’” the official quoted Mr Xi as saying.

Mr Xi also urged the United States to stop sending weapons to Taiwan and support China’s peaceful “reunification” with Taiwan, Chinese state media said.

Ms Bonnie Glaser, a Taiwan expert at the Germen Marshall Fund of the United States, said Mr Xi seemed to have conveyed both threats and assurances on Taiwan.

“The suggestion that a resolution needs to be found in the near term is a worrisome sign, even if he emphasised that there are no plans for military action against Taiwan in the coming years,” she said.

Mr Biden asked Mr Xi to use his influence with Iran to urge Tehran not to launch proxy attacks on US targets in the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues in Gaza.

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2023-11-16 04:46:55Z
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Hamas command centre, weapons found at Gaza hospital: Israeli military - The Straits Times

JERUSALEM - Israeli troops found a command centre and weapons and combat gear belonging to Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza’s biggest hospital on Wednesday, Israel’s military said, in a campaign that stoked global alarm over the fate of civilians inside.

Al Shifa hospital had become the chief target of a Gaza City incursion by Israeli forces, who said the “beating heart” of the Hamas fighters’ operations was headquartered in tunnels beneath it. Hamas denied the accusation and on Wednesday dismissed the Israeli statements as “lies and cheap propaganda”.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the troops were still searching, having entered the hospital early on Wednesday after days of clashes around it.

The military simultaneously released a video it said showed some of the materials it recovered from an undisclosed building in the hospital compound, including automatic weapons, grenades, ammunition and flak jackets.

In one hospital department, “the soldiers located an operational command centre and technological assets belonging to Hamas, indicating that the terrorist organisation uses the hospital for terrorist purposes”, an Israeli military statement said.

Israel has consistently said the hospital sits above a Hamas headquarters, an assertion the United States said on Tuesday was supported by its own intelligence.

Hailing the entry of his forces into the hospital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: “There is no place in Gaza that we cannot reach. There are no hideouts.”

“We will reach and eliminate Hamas and we will bring back our hostages. These are two sacred missions,” he said.

Israel began its campaign to wipe out the Islamist group that rules Gaza after militants rampaged through southern Israel on Oct 7. Israel says 1,200 people were killed and some 240 captives taken in the deadliest day of its 75-year-old history.

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2023-11-15 20:39:09Z
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Biden-Xi APEC Meeting: Military, Fentanyl, AI on Agenda - Bloomberg

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1. Biden-Xi APEC Meeting: Military, Fentanyl, AI on Agenda  Bloomberg
2. Joe Biden, Xi Jinping set for high-stakes summit in San Francisco  CNA
3. Unofficial exchanges soared ahead of Xi-Biden meeting to smooth path for talks  South China Morning Post
4. In San Francisco, Asian Americans have mixed feelings about Biden meeting with Chinese President Xi  Los Angeles Times
5. China Summit: Joe Biden and Xi Jinping Must Start Restoring Trust  Bloomberg
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2023-11-15 17:48:46Z
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