Xi, Biden agree to restart high-level military-to-military talks: state media

BEIJING - Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden at a summit to stop arming Taiwan but agreed to restart high-level military-to-military talks, Beijing said Thursday.

"The US side should... stop arming Taiwan, and support China's peaceful reunification," Xi told Biden, according to a readout from China's foreign ministry.

"China will realise reunification, and this is unstoppable," the Chinese leader said of the future of the self-ruled island, which Beijing has pledged to re-take one day.

But the two leaders "agreed Wednesday to resume on the basis of equality and respect high-level military-to-military communication," Beijing state media said.

They also agreed at the California summit to set up joint government talks on the use of artificial intelligence, as well as a working group on counternarcotics cooperation, Xinhua news agency said.

The two further committed to work towards stepping up scheduled passenger flights between their countries early next year.

Xi told Biden that China did not seek to "surpass or unseat the United States", and stressed that "the United States should not scheme to suppress and contain China".

"China will not follow the old path of colonisation and plunder, nor will it follow the wrong path of hegemony when a country becomes strong," Xi said, according to Xinhua.

Xi also warned Washington that Beijing was dissatisfied with sanctions and other measures against its firms.

"US actions against China regarding export control, investment screening and unilateral sanctions seriously hurt China's legitimate interests," Xi said.

"Suppressing China's science and technology is curbing China's high-quality development and depriving the Chinese people of their right to development." - AFP