Biden says November meeting with China’s Xi is ‘a possibility’

President Biden on Friday said a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the United States next month is possible.

When questioned on reporting that the two leaders will meet face-to-face in California next month, Biden wouldn’t confirm a meeting is scheduled.

“There is no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility,” the president told reporters.

The White House National Security Council would also not confirm to The Hill that any plans are officially in place, but noted that Biden has said he looks forward to continuing conversations with Xi this fall.

The last time Biden and Xi met in person was last November in Bali on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit. The president has since said he hopes to again meet with Xi.

Biden expressed his disappointment that the Chinese leader didn’t attend the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi last month. However, Biden added at the time: “I am going to get to see him.”

Since their meeting last year, diplomatic ties between the two nations took a hit when a Chinese spy balloon spent several days floating over the U.S. before it was shot down off the coast of South Carolina in February.

In June, Biden called Xi a dictator and said he got upset when the spy balloon was shot down because he didn’t know about it.

Xi’s decision not to attend the Group of 20 summit last month further put a strain on relationships between China and the U.S. and other Indo-Pacific nations. China sent the country’s premier, Li Qiang, to India on his behalf and did not give details into why he decided not to participate.

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