Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met at Filoli Estate near San Francisco.
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday had a first in-person meeting in over a year in San Francisco. From important discussions to photo-ops, moments from the meeting of both leaders were widely shared on the internet. A video also surfaced online showing the two leaders talking about their respective cars. While Mr Biden was seen boasting about his Cadillac car, Mr Xi was seen showing off his Hongqi N701 Limo.
"It's a beautiful vehicle!" Mr Biden said as he walked the Chinese leader to his armoured car after a long day of diplomatic discussions. "Show the president," Mr Xi then said through a translator. The US president peeked inside Mr Xi's car, then gestured to his own ride, a Cadillac built like a rolling bunker.
"You know what they call that car?" Mr Biden asked his Chinese counterpart, adding, "They call it 'The Beast.'"
Watch the video below:
Meanwhile, coming back to the meeting, the two leaders saw several milestones and a few roadblocks as they agreed that turning their backs on each other was "not an option". They met on Thursday at Filoli Estate. They were seen strolling through the gardens on the estate, chatting and smiling casually.
During their meeting, the two leaders agreed to restore high-level military communications. "That's how accidents happen, misunderstandings, so we're back to direct, open, clear, direct communications," Mr Biden said.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) also figured in the talks. "The leaders affirmed the need to address the risks of advanced AI systems and improve AI safety through US-China government talks," a White House readout said.
Mr Biden also raised concerns about alleged human rights abuses by China in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. The Taiwan issue came up too. After the meeting, Mr Biden even referred to Mr Xi as a "dictator".
However, there were light moments too. Mr Biden reminded Mr Xi of his wife Peng Liyuan's birthday, adding that it was his birthday too. The embarrassed Chinese president said he had been neck-deep in work and the date had slipped his mind. He thanked the US President for the timely reminder.