Editor's Pick | Joe Biden, Xi Jinping restore military ties

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday agreed to restore military communications between the two countries in what was their first summit in a tense year. President Biden and President Xi had not met in person since they held talks in Bali in November 2022. Relations between the two countries soured further after the U.S. shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in February. The two leaders remained distant over Taiwan, with the Chinese President telling his U.S. counterpart to stop arming the island, and that reunification was “unstoppable”. China claims sovereignty over the self-ruling democracy. In August 2022, former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, inviting intense criticism from China. The high-level U.S.-China military-to-military communications were severed by China after Ms. Pelosi’s visit. Following the Wednesday meeting, President Biden told a press conference that his talks with Mr. Xi were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had”. However, the U.S. President did not refrain from calling Mr. Xi a “dictator” when questioned by a reporter. “He’s a dictator in the sense that he’s a guy who’s running a country, a Communist country, that’s based on a form of government totally different than ours,” Mr. Biden said. Mr. Xi appeared to brush off Mr. Biden’s comment later and instead drew focus to the importance of growing U.S.-China ties. Russia welcomed the meeting between the two countries, with the Kremlin calling the talks “important for everyone”. The two countries also agreed to hold talks on Artificial Intelligence, and to deepen cooperation on climate change ahead of the COP28 conference in Dubai next month. The Hindu’s Editorials Widening divide: On how little has changed in Manipur War in Myanmar: On the junta and restoring democracy The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Who was the founder-chairman of the All India Professionals’ Congress? Varun Gandhi Shashi Tharoor Rahul Gandhi Praveen Chakravarty To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 17 November 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Joe Biden, Xi Jinping restore military ties but remain apart on wider flashpoint of Taiwan U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday agreed to restore [military communications]( between the two countries in what was their first summit in a tense year.  President Biden and President Xi had not met in person since they held talks in Bali in November 2022. Relations between the two countries soured further after the U.S. shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon in February. The two leaders remained distant over Taiwan, with the Chinese President telling his U.S. counterpart to stop arming the island, and that reunification was “unstoppable”. China claims sovereignty over the self-ruling democracy. In August 2022, former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker [Nancy Pelosi]( became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years, inviting intense criticism from China. The high-level U.S.-China military-to-military communications were severed by China after Ms. Pelosi’s visit. Following the Wednesday meeting, President Biden told a press conference that his talks with Mr. Xi were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had”. However, the U.S. President did not refrain from calling Mr. Xi a “dictator” when questioned by a reporter. “He’s a dictator in the sense that he’s a guy who’s running a country, a Communist country, that’s based on a form of government totally different than ours,” Mr. Biden said.  Mr. Xi appeared to brush off Mr. Biden’s comment later and instead drew focus to the importance of growing U.S.-China ties. Russia welcomed the meeting between the two countries, with the Kremlin calling the talks “important for everyone”. The two countries also agreed to hold talks on Artificial Intelligence, and to deepen cooperation on climate change ahead of the COP28 conference in Dubai next month. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Widening divide: On how little has changed in Manipur]( [Arrow][War in Myanmar: On the junta and restoring democracy]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Who was the founder-chairman of the All India Professionals’ Congress? - Varun Gandhi - Shashi Tharoor - Rahul Gandhi - Praveen Chakravarty To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](