The historic meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping was short on resolutions, but gave promise for those hoping for a toned down approach to the bilateral tensions that have plagued the two nations since the middle of the 2010s.

Despite tensions between the U.S. and China on the economic and political fronts, leaders from both countries found some common ground during their recent meeting in Bali. Presidents Biden and Xi have reiterated their commitment to work together to address transnational challenges, avoid conflict with each other, and maintain open communication.

Join CSIS for this hybrid event — in-person and live online — to hear from Trustee Chair in Chinese Business & Economics Scott Kennedy, who will discuss the takeaways from his recent extended research trip to China, the first by someone from the Washington think tank community since the outbreak of the pandemic. He will be interviewed and engage in discussion with Peking University Professor Wang Jisi, Founding President of Peking University's Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS) and one of China’s leading authorities on U.S.-China relations. They will discuss developments in domestic Chinese society, U.S.-China relations, and potential pathways to improving the relationship. This event is the bookend event to the February 2022 CSIS event, “A Beijinger in Washington”.

Though Biden and Xi’s first face-to-face meeting since Biden’s presidential term began came with offers of civility and friendship, there remains much work to be done if the U.S.-China rivalry will be toned down within Biden’s first term.

Improved China-U.S. relations are within reach. The conciliatory statements by the two presidents, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, as they met face to face on the sidelines of the G20 summit carve out a foothold that can be strengthened and expanded.

The warm smiles of presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden as they shook hands in Bali showed that the two countries are not intractable rivals. They may never be free of competition and struggle, but by using the meeting as a compass they can achieve good things for themselves and the world.

Since the 1970s, China and the United States have been able to carve out a strategic framework for collaboration, competition and cooperation. The result is that stability and growth have generally been guaranteed despite the periodic ups and downs. This needs to happen again.

Presidents Xi Jinping and Joseph Biden met for over three hours in Bali in advance of the G-20 Summit. The discussion was another frank exchange that aired the differences between the two sides, and it also succeeded in establishing some more regularized working level exchanges between the two governments.

Presidents Biden and Xi together have a responsibility to create a different and better future. And it’s vital they figure out how to have at least a passable working relationship before the U.S. elections are in full swing. Can either side take the initiative to warm up to the other party?

The nature of U.S.-China relations have become increasingly polarized since the mid-2010s. It seems like both sides sit on opposite sides of a spectrum, when in reality, both nations exert influence and control over resources and neighbors that could be organized to work well together.