Xi at G20: Drawing Ideological Lines Obstructs Advancement of Humankind

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a press event to introduce the new members of the Chinese Politburo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. (AP)
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a press event to introduce the new members of the Chinese Politburo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. (AP)
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Xi at G20: Drawing Ideological Lines Obstructs Advancement of Humankind

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a press event to introduce the new members of the Chinese Politburo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. (AP)
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during a press event to introduce the new members of the Chinese Politburo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. (AP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday asked the G20 wealthy nations to contain the fallout from interest rate hikes, as the US Federal Reserve moves aggressively to fight inflation.

He also cautioned that drawing ideological lines obstructs the advancement of humankind.

"We must contain global inflation and resolve systematic risks in the economy and finance," Xi told a summit of the 20 major economies taking place in Bali.

"Developed economies should reduce the negative spillover effects of their monetary policy adjustments and stabilize debts at a sustainable level," he said.

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates to their highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis as it seeks to tighten money supply in an effort to wrestle back inflation.

The US monetary stance has pushed the dollar up to levels not seen in two decades, causing distress for developing economies that rely on exports or that are trying to curb inflation themselves.

Xi, on only his second overseas trip since the pandemic, was addressing the summit a day after meeting US President Joe Biden.

The talks with Biden were strikingly friendly, with the two leaders both indicating they would like to ease tensions that have soared in recent months.

The White House said that Xi and Biden agreed against any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, as the United States seeks to encourage distance between Beijing and its nominal ally in Moscow.

"We must firmly oppose politicization, instrumentalization and weaponization of food and energy problems," Xi said.

He also repeated his familiar opposition to Western sanctions and warned against aggravating differences among countries.

"Drawing ideological lines and stirring up opposition among political blocs and factions will only divide the world and obstruct the advancement of humankind," he said.



Envoys from Iran, the US Arrive in Oman for First Round of Talks over Tehran’s Nuclear Program

This handout picture provided by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meeting with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on April 12, 2025. (Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meeting with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on April 12, 2025. (Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
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Envoys from Iran, the US Arrive in Oman for First Round of Talks over Tehran’s Nuclear Program

This handout picture provided by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meeting with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on April 12, 2025. (Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meeting with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi in Muscat on April 12, 2025. (Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)

Envoys from Iran and the United States arrived Saturday in Oman ahead of the first talks over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

No overall agreement is immediately likely, but the stakes of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for these two nations closing in on half a century of enmity.  

Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Flight-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed a private jet from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, arrived in Oman on Saturday morning. US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff had just met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday there.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry released footage of Tehran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that Araghchi provided Iran’s “stance and key points for the talks to be conveyed to the US side.”

IRNA's report suggested the meeting would be held later Saturday.

“If there is sufficient will on both sides, we will decide on a timetable. But it is still too early to talk about that,” Araghchi said, in an audio clip published by IRNA. “What is clear now is that the negotiations are indirect, and in our view only on the nuclear issue, and will be conducted with the necessary will to reach an agreement that is on an equal footing and leads to securing the national interests of the Iranian people.”

Trump and Witkoff both have described the talks as being “direct.”

“I think our position begins with dismantlement of your program. That is our position today,” Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal before his trip. “That doesn’t mean, by the way, that at the margin we’re not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries.”

He added: “Where our red line will be, there can’t be weaponization of your nuclear capability,”

While the US side can offer sanctions relief for Iran’s beleaguered economy, it remains unclear just how much Iran will be willing to concede.  

Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran could only maintain a small stockpile of uranium enriched to 3.67%. Today, Tehran’s stockpile could allow it to build multiple nuclear weapons if it so chooses and it has some material enriched up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels.  

Judging from negotiations since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal in 2018, Iran will likely ask to keep enriching uranium up to at least 20%.

One thing it won’t do is give up its program entirely. That makes the proposal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a so-called Libyan solution — “you go in, blow up the facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision, American execution” — unworkable.