President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands Wednesday to kick off a bilateral meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies — with talks expected to cover Chinese exports of fentanyl, trade, and regional disputes.
Biden, 80, and Xi, 70, are meeting for the second time in person since as their nations’ leaders following a summit last year in Bali, Indonesia.
The American president is expected to give a press conference without Xi later Wednesday following hours of private conversation.
US officials gave vague but optimistic projections for the meeting — but stopped short of confirming a report that Xi will agree to crack down on exports of fentanyl.
The largely China-sourced synthetic opioid has killed roughly 200,000 Americans since Biden took office.
As of the latest CDC data, fentanyl is killing more than 200 US residents each day.
But for Biden it was just another day at the office as he decided to take a nap during the meeting.
But Blinken’s look like he’s about to cry and that’s a new low in this administration.
They embarrassed us on a world stage and videos like this just make us look weaker!
Video below:
More videos from today:
A confused Biden looks to Antony Blinken, who then instructs the press to leave so Biden and Xi Jinping can meet privately.
Biden just sits there and smirks. pic.twitter.com/ndOevPoQUn
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 15, 2023
"President Biden, what's your message to China today!?"
BIDEN: *walks away* pic.twitter.com/dvdMg2iufS
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 15, 2023
Blinken looks shook. pic.twitter.com/6OwTgYnq6u
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 15, 2023
The U.S. delegation includes:
Antony Blinken, Secretary of State
Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury
Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council
John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council
Nicholas Burns, Ambassador of the United States to the People’s Republic of China
Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Sarah Beran, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for China, National Security Council
Rush Doshi, Deputy Senior Director for China, National Security Council
Pierce Davis, Director for China, National Security Council
The Chinese delegation includes:
President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China
Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCCPC, Director of the General Office of the CCCPC
Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CCCPC, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Jiang Jinquan, Director of the Policy Research Office of the CCCPC
Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission
Lan Fo’an, Minister of Finance
Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce
Ma Zhaoxu, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Xie Feng, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States
Lu Luhua, Secretary of President Xi Jinping
H.E. Hua Chunying, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
Yang Tao, Director-General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
Zheng Liqiao, Deputy Director-General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
