US President Joe Biden has said that restoring military communications with Beijing would constitute a successful meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Both leaders are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in San Francisco this week.
Washington and Beijing have sought to thaw tension with a series of high-profile visits from top officials in recent months following a year in which the relationship between the two superpowers became increasingly strained.
Those efforts will culminate in a Wednesday meeting between Mr Biden and Mr Xi, their second in-person meeting since the US President assumed office.
When asked how he would define a successful meeting, Mr Biden spoke of hopes for a broad improvement in communication.
“To get back on a normal course of correspondence, being able to pick up the phone and talk to one another during a crisis, being able to make sure our military still have contact with one another,” he said.
Beijing cut communication between its military and the Pentagon after former US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in 2022.
The US believes that being in regular contact with China's military would help to keep peace in the Indo-Pacific region and avoid any miscommunication that could jeopardise that.
US seeking better relationship with China
Mr Biden also reiterated his administration's stance that the US is not seeking to decouple its economy from China's.
“What we're trying to do is change the relationship for the better,” he said.
The US President also said he believes a Chinese economy in which its citizens have well-paying jobs is a benefit for everyone.
“But I'm not going to continue to sustain support for a position where in order to invest in China, we have to turn over all our trade secrets,” he said.
Speaking at the Apec forum ahead of Mr Biden's visit, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said responsibly managing the US-China economic relationship remains a key priority and that the forum could be used to “stabilise the relationship”.
“There is hard work ahead of us, but I believe our engagements here have moved us along the right path,” Ms Yellen said.
However, a report to Congress has found that the US-China rivalry is actually worsening despite efforts to improve relations.
“None of the flurry of visits and other diplomacy over the past year have resulted in any significant change of course by the regime,” the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its annual report.
“The result of high-level meetings between the United States and China has been merely the promise of further meetings – that is, of more talk, rather than concrete actions.”
The commission said that China could be on the verge of its most serious economic crisis in four decades, with its economic growth remaining “anaemic”. It added that Beijing is still maintaining the “same aggressive course on foreign policy” that is has held for years.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday:
- 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
- 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
- 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
- 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
- 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
- 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
- 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
- 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
- 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
- 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Quick%20facts
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan