U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on Tuesday in their first phone call since their summit in November in California, according to Chinese state media. Their summit in California resulted in a renewal of relations between the two countries' militaries and promised to enhance cooperation in stopping the flow of deadly fentanyl and its precursors from China.
The phone conversation comes amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea and ahead of the inauguration of Taiwan's new president next month. The call also marks the beginning of many high-level engagements between the two countries, with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen scheduled to visit China on Thursday, followed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit in the coming weeks.
Biden has pushed for sustainable interactions at all levels of government, believing that this is necessary to prevent competition between the two giant economies and nuclear-armed powers from escalating into direct conflict. Officials noted that while face-to-face summits may occur once a year, Washington and Beijing recognize the value of more meetings between the leaders.
