Biden Presses Xi On HK, Xinjiang In First Phone Call

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP/Xinhua) — Joe Biden pressed Chinese leader Xi Jinping over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang late Wednesday in their first call since the new US president took office on January 20, according to the White House.

Setting the stage for what could extend the contentious relationship between the two superpowers, Biden offered Xi his greetings and well-wishes for the Chinese people on the occasion of the Lunar New Year celebrations, the White House said in a statement.

Xi said China and the US should re-establish their various dialogue mechanisms so as to accurately understand each other's policy intentions and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.

He added the Chinese and US foreign affairs departments may deepen communication on a broad range of issues in bilateral relations and on major regional and international affairs.

Xi said more contact may also be carried out between the economic, financial and law enforcement agencies as well as the militaries of the two countries.

But, laying his own groundwork for Washington-Beijing ties after four tumultuous years under predecessor Donald Trump, Biden immediately challenged his counterpart over China's projection of power in the Indo-Pacific region, the crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and the oppressive treatment of millions of Muslim Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

In the call Biden told Xi that his priorities were to protect the American people's security, prosperity, health and way of life, and to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific, the White House said in a statement on the call.