Xi tells Biden U.S.-China relations never ‘smooth sailing’ but they must work together

President Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping each underscored the need for communications between the two nuclear superpowers at their meeting on Wednesday, which was the first time they’ve spoken in over a year.

Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi emphasized that the two nations need to keep lines of dialogue open to avoid tipping into conflict.

“We have to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict and we also have to manage it responsibly, competition,” Mr. Biden said, adding that he’s found previous talks with Mr. Xi to be “candid, straightforward and useful.”