Xi Jinping's landmark US visit: High-stakes meeting with Biden in San Francisco

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in San Francisco, marking his first visit to the United States in six years. The visit involves a crucial meeting with US President Joe Biden, aimed at working towards improving the strained relations between these two superpowers.

President Joe Biden, who traveled aboard the presidential Air Force One, arrived in San Francisco a few hours before the Chinese leader's flight touched down.

This is the first time that Xi Jinping is visiting the United States since Joe Biden assumed the role of President. Remember that the Chinese leader last visited America back in 2017, when he met with then President, Donald Trump, discussing pressing matters including trade policy and North Korea.

The much-anticipated discussion between Biden and Xi, slated for Wednesday, primarily aims to mitigate further escalation of competition between the two superpowers, while striving to keep it under control.

White House spokesman John Kirby stated that Xi and Biden "are quite familiar with each other, well-versed in engaging in candid and direct dialogues". He further added that Biden plans to stress that Washington considers the relationship with China of "utmost importance", intending to handle it with the highest level of responsibility.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed its intentions through a statement that forecasted a "deepened dialogue on critical issues pertaining to global peace and development".

AFP's report highlights that the tension between these two superpowers extends beyond economic and technological rivalry, their differences root deeply in fundamental political stances. Issues like Taiwan, Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip lie at the heart of these disparities.

The notable meeting is set to occur during the member countries' summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community.