Biden meets with China's President Xi

President Joe Biden raised concerns of China's "human rights abuses" in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong during his nearly four-hour-long talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, according to the White House's readout of the meeting.

"President Biden underscored the universality of human rights and the responsibility of all nations to respect their international human rights commitments," the readout said.

Biden described the meeting as "some of the most productive" talks. In a rare news conference following the summit, the president touted the resumption of military-to-military communications and shared that the two leaders agreed on curbing the flow of fentanyl.

However, Biden said he also raised the issue of detained Americans in China and reiterated US policy on Taiwan. At the news conference, Biden also doubled down on his previous comments and called Xi a dictator.

US President Joe Biden accused Hamas of committing a “war crime” for operating what the US and Israel have claimed is a command node under the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.

Biden said he discussed the dangerous situation at the hospital, Gaza’s largest, during his meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

“You have a circumstance where the first war crime is being committed by Hamas by having their headquarters, their military hidden under a hospital. And that's a fact. That's what's happened,” Biden told reporters during a press conference Wednesday.

Some context: Israeli forces launched a raid early Wednesday morning on Al-Shifa, after accusing Hamas of operating from tunnels beneath the vast complex – a claim denied by the militant group and hospital officials.

CNN cannot verify either side's claims.

Israel said its troops found "military equipment used by Hamas," the military said in a statement but offered no evidence yet of a vast tunnel network it claimed was used by the militant group.

Israel said it will present more evidence to support their claims of a Hamas command center, an adviser to the prime minister told CNN Wednesday.

Conditions at Al-Shifa, which has run out of fuel and is no longer considered operational, have deteriorated rapidly in recent days amid intense fighting, with doctors warning of a “catastrophic” situation for patients, staff and displaced people still inside.

Wednesday’s raid has also sparked widespread international criticism.

Biden noted that the US has called on Israel to be “incredibly careful” as it targets Hamas in the area, but suggested that action was justified.

“We discussed the need for them to be incredibly careful. You have a circumstance where you know there is a fair number of Hamas terrorists. Hamas has already said publicly that they plan on attacking Israel again, like they did before."

The president also noted the savagery of Hamas' October 7 attacks in Israel. "And so, the idea that they're going to just stop and not do anything is not realistic," he added.

Israeli forces, he suggested, are “bringing in incubators” and “other means to help the people in the hospital,” adding that there have been efforts to get doctors, nurses, and other personnel out of harm’s way.

Evidence: In a follow-up exchange with CNN, Biden told MJ Lee, “Yes,” he was absolutely confident based on intelligence he’d seen that Hamas was operating a command center under the Al-Shifa hospital, but declined to share details on the evidence.

“No, I can’t tell you—I won’t tell you,” he told CNN.

President Joe Biden doubled down on his previous comments and called Chinese President Xi Jinping a "dictator" just hours after the two leader met for a summit, which he described as "some of the most productive" talks.

Asked by CNN's MJ Lee if the president would still describe Xi as a dictator as he has in the past, Biden said:"Well look, he is."

"He is a dictator in the sense that he is a guy who runs a country that is communist," Biden said, adding that the Chinese government "is totally different than ours."

Biden previously compared Xi to dictators during a June political fundraiser in California as he discussed Xi's reaction to US fighter jets shooting down a Chinese balloon in February.

US President Joe Biden reflected on the state of his relationship with China’s President Xi Jinping following what he described as a constructive and productive meeting. 

He said the talks with Xi were “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we've had.”

“We haven't always agreed,” Biden said, but his talks with Xi are always “straightforward.”

Pressed on whether he trusts Xi, Biden said, “Trust but verify, as the old saying goes. That’s where I am,” describing the relationship between the US and China as “competitive.”

Biden cultivated a deep relationship with Xi during their time as vice presidents that has since deteriorated. Still, he cast Xi as “straight.”

“I know the man, I know his modus operandi, looked into his eyes – we have disagreements. He has a different view than I have on a lot of things, but he’s been straight. I don’t mean that good, better, indifferent, just straight,” he said. 

Biden said the leaders agreed to be willing to pick up the phone if either wants to talk going forward.

Biden says the two leaders agreed on curbing the flow of fentanyl, restoring military communication and working together on artificial intelligence during their four-hour summit. 

Biden said the agreement from China to reduce precursor chemicals for fentanyl would “save lives” and said he appreciated Xi’s commitment on the issue.

President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening that he reiterated US "One China" policy during talks with the Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier in the day.

"I reiterated what I've said since I have become president, and what every previous president of late has said: That we maintain an agreement that there is One China policy," Biden said during a news conference following the summit, adding "that's not going to change."

Under Washington’s longstanding “One China” policy, the US acknowledges China’s position that Taiwan is part of China, but has never officially recognized Beijing’s claim to the island.

CNN's Eric Cheung and Nectar Gan contributed to this post.

President Joe Biden raised areas of concerns about China's actions as they relate to detained US citizens, human rights and "coercive activities in the South China Sea" with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Biden said he provided Xi with the names of those thought to be detained during their meeting Wednesday in California.

"Hopefully we can get them released as well," Biden said at a Wednesday news conference. "No agreement on that."

President Joe Biden on Wednesday evening touted that his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping resulted in the resumption of communication between the US and Chinese militaries.

"We're back to direct, open, clear, direct communications," Biden said during a rare news conference following his summit with Xi. "Vital miscalculations on either side can cause real, real trouble with a country like China or any other major country."

The two countries have gradually been restoring communications after Beijing cut those ties in August 2022, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

US President Joe Biden is speaking at a solo news conference in California following his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on the United States to “not scheme to suppress or contain China” during extensive talks with President Joe Biden near San Francisco on Wednesday, Chinese state media reported.

“China has no plans to surpass or unseat the United States, and the United States should not scheme to suppress or contain China,” Xi said, according to a readout released by China’s state agency Xinhua.
“Both sides should understand each other’s principles and bottom lines, not make or stir up trouble or cross boundaries, (but instead) communicate more, have more dialogue and more discussions, and handle differences and accidents calmly,” Xi said, according to the readout.

The two leaders “emphasized the need for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, maintaining communication and conflict prevention," according to Xinhua.

The meeting marked a significant step forward for the two powers, which have gradually been restoring communications after Beijing cut those ties in August 2022, following a visit from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

The two countries agreed to resume high-level military communication and cooperate on anti-drug crackdown, as well as resume meetings between their defense ministries and maritime military security consultations, and start talks between leaders of theatre commands, Xinhua said.