Everything Biden and Xi Need From Their Summit—Starting With Each Other
Can the always-at-odds leaders of the world’s two biggest economies lay the groundwork for a more amicable way forward when they meet in San Francisco?
Photo illustration: 731; Photos: Getty Images; Bloomberg
One is the self-styled working-class hero and defender of democracy frustrated at not getting his due for a robust economy as elections loom. The other is an enigmatic imperial leader, born into the political elite, building authoritarian alliances around the world even as his economy confronts a generational slowdown.
That Joe Biden and Xi Jinping lead the world’s largest economies should be reason enough for them to overcome their clashing biographies and worldviews. When they sit down for a tête-à-tête in San Francisco this Wednesday, they’ll also be acknowledging something they’d probably prefer not to: They need each other.