Expectations were low for the meeting between American President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, held Nov. 15 in San Francisco.
Indeed there were no big breakthroughs. But since then, there has been a lowering of tension and a rare sense of stability in the U.S.-China relationship, which should enable both countries to deal with key domestic issues.
Despite the lack of progress on Taiwan, the South China Sea and other problem areas, both sides gave high marks to the summit. As Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “The San Francisco meeting is significant for enhancing trust, removing suspicion, managing differences and expanding cooperation between China and the United States. It is also significant for injecting certainty and stability into a world of turbulence and transformation.”