Daily US Times: US President Joe Biden has spoken with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, their first call in seven months.

A statement from the White House Statement said the leaders had a “broad, strategic discussion in which they discussed areas where our interests converge”.

This is only the second phone call between Biden and Xi since President Joe Biden took office.

The relations of China and the US, two of the major economies in the world, have been tense, with clashes over issues like pandemic, trade and espionage.

The White House statement added: “This discussion, as President Biden made clear, was part of the United States’ ongoing effort to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the PRC.”

A high-level talks between Chinese and the Biden administration officials were fraught with tension earlier this year – with both sides exchanging sharp rebukes.

China had accused the United States of inciting countries “to attack China”, while the United States said China had “arrived intent on grandstanding”.

There are quite a few major issues the US and China clash on – with a major one being human rights and democracy.

Washington accuses Beijing of genocide against the minority Uighur population in the Xinjiang province. The US also says China is supressing Hong Kong’s democratic rights with a recently introduced security law that critics say is being used to crack down on dissent.

Meanwhile, China has repeatedly told the US to stop interfering ”its internal affairs” and accuses Washington of “smearing” the ruling Communist Party.

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