There will be time and space to discuss the Ukraine crisis, inflation risk, climate change and the pandemic in the various sessions of the G20 which opens today in Bali in Indonesia and takes over from the G20 a year ago chaired by Mario Draghi to the Eur. But the spotlight, meanwhile, is all for them: Joe Biden, the oldest president of the United States, who came out strengthened by the last Midterm elections and the old Chinese "dragon". Xi Jinping, confirmed for the third time General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. Both celebrated the thaw in relations after the blitz of the speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in Taiwan and removed (but only for now) the danger of a new cold war between the two giants.
FINANCIAL TIMES: ABOUT UKRAINE "PUTIN DIDN'T TELL THE TRUTH" TO THE CHINESE
In short, they are the real protagonists of the pre-summit with a meeting that reassures Washington and Beijing and practically all the G20 countries. Meeting meticulously prepared by the sherpas of Biden and Xi, surrounded by a relaxing atmosphere favored, for example, by the statements to the Financial Times of a senior Chinese official according to whom Xi would not have been informed about theinvasion of Ukraine and for which "Putin did not tell the truth" to the Chinese. A crisis, that of Ukraine, which still sees Beijing at the window focused on its internal issues and on the need to strengthen its social and economic cohesion.
In other words, the time has not yet come for the Chinese "dragon". really get out there to assume a leadership role not only economic but also political and military in the Far East and in the world. And the words spoken yesterday by Xi to Biden confirm this impression. "China - Xi explained - does not want to try to change the international order or interfere in the internal affairs of others, nor does it intend to challenge or replace anyone". More specifically, according to the Chinese president, relations between China and the US “should not be a zero-sum game in which one side outcompetes or thrives at the expense of the other”. The successes of the US and China, according to Xi, must be opportunities, not challenges for each other. Of course, Xi added, "the two sides should respect each other, coexist in peace, pursue win-win cooperation, and work to ensure that China-US relations proceed on the right track without losing direction or speed, much less have a collision." ”. But, Xi warned, "the Taiwan question is at the center of China's fundamental interests, it is the basis of political relations between China and the United States and it is the first red line that must not be crossed in relations between the two countries". Therefore "anyone who tries to divide Taiwan from China will violate the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and the Chinese people will absolutely not let this happen".
RELAXING WORDS BETWEEN BIDEN AND XI JINPING
Relaxing words also by Biden according to whom "it is clear that China and the United States should be ready to work together". According to the American president, Xi appeared willing to compromise on certain issues. Together they agreed to restart talks between the two countries as part of international climate negotiations. Biden asked Xi to pressure North Korea not to carry out more long-range nuclear tests but said he was not sure China could influence Kim Jong-un's choices.
On the crisis between Russia and Ukraine However, Biden and Xi reaffirmed that it would be unacceptable to use thenuclear weapon. According to Biden, the conquest of Kherson is a significant victory for Kiev and the US "will continue to provide the Ukrainians with the skills to defend themselves and will not engage in negotiations involving Ukraine without Kiev being involved". But in the near future, if Biden has to convince Zelenski to open a negotiating table with Moscow sooner or later, it will be up to Xi to convince Putin to sit at the negotiating table.
La monetary tightening by the Fed is beginning to show its effects (in the US consumer prices rose by 7,7% in October, less than estimated by the experts) but only a clear negotiation between Moscow and Kiev can be decisive to see the light at the bottom of the tunnel of the global economic crisis.
On this too, Biden and Xi Jinping agree: continuing like this does not benefit anyone.
