Biden Seeks To Build 'Floor' With Xi Jinping At G20 Meet As US Blocks Solar Shipments Over Xinjiang Slave Labor Concerns

The U.S. said President Joe Biden seeks to build a ‘floor’ with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as the two leaders meet in Bali on Monday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 nations summit.

What Happened: Biden will be honest about U.S. concerns, including over Taiwan and human rights in China, but would look to limit the deterioration of ties with Beijing, a senior administration official said on Thursday, as per a Reuters report.

“The president believes it is critical to build a floor for the relationship and ensure that there are rules of the road that bound our competition,” Reuters reported, citing an official. 

“I expect the president will be honest about a number of our concerns, including PRC (People’s Republic of China) activity that threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, as well as our longstanding concerns about human rights violations,” the official reportedly added.

The two leaders would also likely discuss Kim Jong Un's recent missile launches, potential nuclear test, and Vladimir Putin's raging war in Ukraine. 

However, the administration official clarified that there are no expectations for specific agreements from the meeting, and there will be no joint statements from the parties either. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. blocked over 1,000 shipments of solar energy components worth hundreds of millions of dollars from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns about slave labor, Reuters reported on Thursday.