You are here: HomeAfricaBBC2023 11 15Article 1881668

BBC Pidgin of Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Source: BBC

Wetin di two sides want from Biden-Xi meeting

Joe Biden (hagu) da XI Jinping Joe Biden (hagu) da XI Jinping

US President Joe Biden and China President Xi Jinping dey prepare to hold one ogbonge meeting for California.

Tok boku well-well wey di two leaders go discuss, on some very tricky topics.

Trade, war for Middle East and Taiwan na some of di issues wey likely go dey on dia agenda.

So wetin success go look like for each leader? We ask our tori pipo to torchlight di mata.

Wetin Xi want

Di last twelve months bin dey very bad for Xi Jinping politically. If im fit comot from dis meeting wit Joe Biden to give di impression say im dey drive US-China relations to calmer waters, Im go dey very happy wit dat.

China leader clearly dey powerful, but even im dey feel pressure, and - afta some setbacks -Im need a solid, public win.

A lot of pipo go dey interested in di subjects di two men go discuss, sake of di potentially sensitive flashpoints wey exist between Beijing and Washington. Freedom of navigation for South China Sea, US support for di goment for Taiwan and trade blocks on certain new technologies all fit dey on di agenda.

But for Xi Jinping, wetin dey important na wetin dey happun back home. And di koko for am na di images of him on Chinese media wey show as a strong figure as im dey dey wit di Americans dat dey very importance.

Dis year, two of im most high-profile appointees - di foreign minister and di defence minister – e remove dem without explanation. Many feel say im judgement of dis appointees soil im image sake of say na im select these men and yet dem take dem down.

Anoda one na di Rocket Force generals mata, di overhaul of who dey in charge of di kontri nuclear missiles. Rumours been dey fly around on to why dem replace pipo wey dey di top of dis elite nuclear unit but, whatever di reason be, dis too don add to di gist say all no dey well for di upper echelons of di Communist Party.

All of dis na afta Oga Xi suddenly bin abandon im hugely unpopular 'Zero Covid' policy at di end of last year, afta protests bin start to break out across di kontri, wey call for di end to di widespread restrictions on movement of pipo. E lead to an unknown death toll as di virus explode.

Add to dat, di Chinese economy palava and wey see high youth unemployment record-, tech sector layoffs and housing crisis.

Some good news about China relations wit di oda world superpower neva spoil. Even lead to more trade.

Wetin Biden wants

No one dey expect a major breakthrough for dis meeting.

Major improvement for di relationship between these two nations no dey realistic. Di koko here na to try to make sure say di relations no worse.

We no go see any ogbonge headlines or signed agreement, na very few concrete outcomes. But e still dey important.

To understand di significance, you need to imagine wetin fit happun if this meeting no take place and relations between China and US continue to go down. Plus all di different ways wey fit make di two kontris to clash wit di dangerous consequences.

President Biden dey expected to say im want China to use dia increasing influence wit Iran to make am clear say make dem no take any provocative actions for Middle East wey fit provoke a wider regional war.

On Ukraine, Im go warn against any move by China to provide Russia wit deadly military equipment.

One important thing America wants to achieve na to re-establish military communications. Dis go allow dia generals to talk to each oda, dis fit dey crucial to make sure say misunderstandings no go come become dangerous flashpoints.

Afta US bin shoot down one Chinese spy balloon for February, officials for Beijing no dey answer call from di US defence secretary.

Di biggest point of contention, na Taiwan.

China break off military communications afta di den House speaker Nancy Pelosi visit to di self-governing island last year. Recently, one Pentagon report say China dey build up dia stocks of nuclear weapons and dem dey take some kain dangerous actions to deter US forces for di region.

Once again, to avoid to spoil di relationship ova Taiwan fit dey considered aa victory.

Anoda mata also na dat of economics and trade wey dem need to discuss. Dis include America ban on di export of certain sophisticated semi-conductor chips to China.

Additional tin, on di agenda go be American complaints about Chinese-made fentanyl wey US authorities say full di kontri, and warnings against China attempt to interfere for next year US presidential election.

Oga Biden believe say im decades-long track record for foreign affairs and personal relationships wit leaders around di world give am di experience to defuse global tensions. Dis meeting go be a significant test to dat.