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Updated Dec 12, 2022, 3:03pm EST
North America

China’s US ambassador said Xi and Biden’s G20 meeting was “effective”

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The News

Qin Gang, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, said at Semafor’s Africa Summit that U.S. President Joe Biden’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Bali “was effective to relax the tension” between the two countries.

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What He Said

Qin acknowledged that both countries had agreed to cooperate on several important issues like climate change and public health after years of tense relations between Washington and Beijing.

“They made an important common understanding understanding, that is, both sides need to do something to calm down the tension, to step up communications and dialogue, and to expand cooperation” Qin said.

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Qin said the issue of climate change was particularly important, adding that he hoped the U.S. would stand by its agreements to invest in sustainability projects for developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Step Back

Qin was promoted to the Communist Party’s Central Committee this year -- the circle of China’s top leaders. Many China watchers believe this first promotion is a stepping stone to becoming the country’s foreign minister.

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