Early progress before Biden-Xi meeting as rare US-China climate accord is announced

China and the United States unveiled a rare climate agreement calling for greater joint action to tackle the climate crisis as President Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on Wednesday for his first visit to America in six years.

Xi and Biden, whose last meeting took place in Bali a year ago, will meet again at Filoli, a country estate built in 1917 and now a National Trust for Historic Preservation site about 30 miles (40 kilometres) south of San Francisco. The schedule released by the White House indicates the talks, which are being held before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum begins, will last for four to five hours.

The meeting follows months of painstaking preparations from both sides, and the choice of a secluded location well away from the main Apec venue and other security measures – such as a drone ban near the site – highlights the sensitivity and importance both sides attach to the high-stakes meeting and concern about disrupting the fragile trust between the nations.