President Joe Biden held a rare formal news conference after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping today, but most of the questions centered on the war between Israel and Hamas.
In an opening statement, Biden said the US and China were “resuming direct military contacts” that had been severed. “We are returning to open, clear and direct communication,” Biden said, adding that “a crucial miscalculation on either side could lead to real problems with a country like China or another big country.”
China has also agreed to work with the US to stem the flow of fentanyl, Biden said.
Asked if he trusted Xi, Biden told reporters: “Trust but verify, as the old saying goes.” This is where I am. We have a competitive relationship: China and the United States. But it is my responsibility to make it rational and manageable so that it does not lead to conflict.”
The press conference, held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Woodside, California, was broadcast on the major cable news networks but not the broadcast networks, which were already in mid-prime time on the East Coast.
Biden called reporters from a pre-compiled list, and the correspondents covered the dominant international story of the moment: the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The president said he was “somewhat hopeful” about the release of the hostages held by Hamas, but stopped short of elaborating on the status of negotiations. He said Qatar was “very cooperative” in securing the release.
However, he said that in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he had drawn up a timetable for how long the operation against Hamas could continue.
“I think it will stop when Hamas no longer retains the ability to kill, abuse and just do terrible things to Israelis,” Biden said. “…The IDF, the Israeli military, recognizes that it has a duty to exercise as much caution as possible in the pursuit of its objectives.”
Biden answered one last question from a reporter as he left. It was about whether he still thinks Xi is a dictator.
Biden said, ‘Well, look. He is. He is a dictator in the sense that he is a man who rules a country, and a communist country at that, based on a form of government completely different from ours.”
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
