Biden dials Xi Jinping for the first time in 7 months

ASHINGTON: For the first time in seven months, US President Joe Biden spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, urging them to ensure that "competition" between the two powers does not become "conflict," according to the White House.

According to reports, during the call, Biden stated that the US wants to ensure that "the dynamic remains competitive and that we don't have any situation in the future where we veer into unintended conflict," said a senior US administration official.

Reports also suggest that the phone call was "candid, in-depth," and covered "extensive strategic communication and exchanges on China-US relations and issues of mutual concern," and that US policy toward China has caused "serious difficulties."

This was only the two leaders' second phone call since Biden took office in January.

Washington-Beijing relations have reached a low point not seen in decades.

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Reports said Former US President Donald Trump's trade war with the world's second-largest economy was to blame for the deterioration in the US-China relationship.

From the beginnings of COVID-19 to human rights, the few high-level meetings held since Xi and Biden's initial call in February have yielded little progress.

In the name of multilateralism, Biden's administration has kept tariffs on Beijing in place and remains tough on other points of contention.

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