US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in the San Francisco Bay area next week. This will be their second face-to-face meeting since Biden took office. The meeting will cover a wide range of topics, including the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and election interference. The relationship between the US and China has deteriorated in recent years, with incidents such as China sending a spy balloon across US airspace and the US arming Taiwan. Biden is determined to restore communication channels between the two nations’ militaries, but China has been reluctant to do so. The meeting will take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which the US is hosting.
Taiwan is expected to be a key topic of discussion, as China claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island. Biden is likely to express concerns about Beijing’s military activities around Taiwan, while Xi may ask for reassurances that the US does not support Taiwanese independence. Other topics of discussion will include US restrictions on technology exports to China and tensions over Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China and East China Seas. Additionally, Biden will request China’s assistance in restraining Iran and preventing further escalation of violence in the Middle East.
Analysts predict that the summit may result in some modest achievements, such as restoring military communications and restricting the flow of Chinese-made Fentanyl. However, both sides are not expecting any major breakthroughs that would reset the relationship. The Chinese blame the deterioration in relations on the US, accusing it of encircling, containing, and suppressing China. The Biden administration has been working to ease tensions through diplomatic efforts, including sending cabinet members to Beijing for discussions. The summit is a result of this hands-on diplomacy.
In addition to the meeting, Xi Jinping is expected to attend a private dinner with US business executives in San Francisco. Tickets for the dinner start at $2,000 per person, with guests having the opportunity to sit at the Chinese president’s table for $40,000. Ahead of the meeting, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen also held talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. Chinese state media has placed the responsibility on Biden to overcome disruptions in US-China relations.
Original news source: Biden and Xi Jinping to meet in California (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Students pair up and choose roles – one as a US reporter and the other as a Chinese reporter. They must draft questions and prepare a brief news report on the upcoming meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, focusing on issues such as Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and election interference. Encourage them to use vocabulary from the article and to present different perspectives based on their assigned nationality.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a set of statements based on the article’s content, such as “The US should support Taiwanese independence.” or “China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea are justified.” Students walk around the classroom and poll their peers on these statements, tallying agree and disagree responses. Afterwards, discuss as a class to explore the range of opinions and reasons behind them.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Each group receives a topic from the article, such as the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, or the APEC summit. They must create a quick sketch or storyboard that visually represents the issue. After completing the sketches, each group presents their work to the class and explains the significance of the images they chose to include.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Students work individually or in pairs to create compelling headlines for an article about the upcoming meeting between the US and Chinese presidents. Encourage them to think about the implications of the meeting and to use powerful adjectives and verbs. Afterward, have students share their headlines and vote on which one they would be most likely to read.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to write a short paragraph predicting the outcomes of the meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, focusing on the various topics mentioned in the article. They should use modal verbs of probability (might, may, could, etc.) to express the likelihood of different scenarios. Have them share their predictions with the class and discuss which seem most plausible.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Where is the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to take place?
2. What are some of the topics that will be discussed during Biden and Xi’s meeting?
3. What recent incidents have contributed to the deterioration of the US-China relationship?
4. What is one of the main objectives that Biden aims to achieve with regard to military communication channels?
5. What stance is Biden likely to take on the issue of Taiwan during the meeting?
6. What are some potential outcomes that analysts predict may result from the summit?
7. How has the Biden administration been attempting to ease tensions with China prior to the summit?
8. What event is Xi Jinping expected to attend in San Francisco, and what are the costs associated with attending this event?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
US President Joe (1)______ and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in the San Francisco Bay area next week. This will be their second face-to-face (2)______ since Biden took office. The meeting will cover a wide range of (3)______, including the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and election interference. The relationship between the US and China has deteriorated in recent years, with incidents such as China sending a spy balloon across US (4)______ and the US arming Taiwan. Biden is determined to restore communication channels between the two nations’ militaries, but China has been reluctant to do so. The meeting will take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic (5)______ (APEC) (6)______, which the US is hosting.
Taiwan is expected to be a key topic of discussion, as China claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island. Biden is likely to express concerns about Beijing’s military activities around Taiwan, while Xi may ask for reassurances that the US does not support Taiwanese independence. Other topics of discussion will include US restrictions on technology exports to China and tensions over Beijing’s (7)______ claims in the (8)______ China and East China Seas. Additionally, Biden will request China’s assistance in restraining Iran and preventing further escalation of violence in the Middle East.
Analysts (9)______ that the summit may result in some modest achievements, such as restoring military communications and restricting the flow of Chinese-made Fentanyl. However, both sides are not expecting any major breakthroughs that would reset the relationship. The Chinese (10)______ the (11)______ in relations on the US, accusing it of encircling, containing, and suppressing China. The Biden (12)______ has been working to ease tensions through diplomatic efforts, including sending cabinet members to Beijing for discussions. The summit is a result of this hands-on diplomacy.
In addition to the meeting, Xi Jinping is expected to attend a private dinner with US business executives in San Francisco. Tickets for the dinner start at $2,000 per person, with guests having the opportunity to sit at the (13)______ president’s table for $40,000. Ahead of the meeting, US Treasury Secretary Janet (14)______ also held talks with Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng to discuss economic (15)______ between the two countries. Chinese state (16)______ has placed the responsibility on Biden to overcome disruptions in US-China relations.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What do you think is the most important issue that presidents Biden and Xi should address in their meeting?
2. How would you feel if your country’s leader was meeting with a leader from a rival nation?
3. Do you think it’s important for countries with tense relationships to maintain open lines of communication? Why or why not?
4. What is your opinion on the practice of charging high prices for dinner tickets to sit with a political leader?
5. How do you think the outcome of the Biden-Xi meeting could affect global politics?
6. What is a significant challenge when two powerful countries like the US and China have deteriorating relations?
7. Do you believe that the US should continue to support Taiwan militarily? Why or why not?
8. How do you perceive the role of personal diplomacy, such as private dinners with business executives, in international relations?
9. Do you think that China’s territorial claims in the South and East China Seas are justified? Why or why not?
10. In your opinion, what would be a major breakthrough in US-China relations?
11. How would you feel if your country’s airspace was breached by a foreign spy balloon?
12. Do you like the idea of summits like APEC for discussing international issues? Why or why not?
13. Do you think that economic cooperation can help ease political tensions between countries? Why or why not?
14. How would you describe the ideal relationship between two competing superpowers?
15. What is your perspective on the accusation that the US is trying to encircle, contain, and suppress China?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. meeting
2. Taiwan
3. China
4. tensions
5. summit
6. relationship
7. Biden
8. communication
Meanings:
(a) Strained or uneasy relations between two parties
(b) The connection or interaction between two parties
(c) The exchange of information or ideas between individuals or groups
(d) The current President of the United States
(e) A high-level conference or meeting
(f) A gathering of people for a specific purpose
(g) A country in East Asia
(h) A self-ruled island claimed by China
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Where are Joe Biden and Xi Jinping scheduled to meet?
(a) San Francisco Bay area
(b) New York City
(c) Washington D.C.
(d) Los Angeles
2. What is one of the topics that will be discussed during the meeting?
(a) Taiwan
(b) Canada
(c) Australia
(d) Mexico
3. What is China’s stance on Taiwan?
(a) China supports Taiwanese independence
(b) China has no opinion on Taiwan
(c) China claims sovereignty over Taiwan
(d) China recognizes Taiwan as an independent country
4. What is one of the reasons for the deterioration in US-China relations?
(a) US arming Taiwan
(b) US restrictions on technology exports to China
(c) All of the above
(d) China sending a spy balloon across US airspace
5. What is one of the achievements that may result from the summit?
(a) Increasing tensions in the Middle East
(b) Encircling and suppressing China
(c) None of the above
(d) Restoring military communications
6. Who does the Chinese blame for the deterioration in relations?
(a) Russia
(b) The US
(c) Taiwan
(d) Australia
7. What is one of the diplomatic efforts made by the Biden administration to ease tensions?
(a) Imposing economic sanctions on China
(b) Hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit
(c) Sending cabinet members to Beijing for discussions
(d) None of the above
8. Who did US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hold talks with?
(a) Russian President Vladimir Putin
(b) Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng
(c) German Chancellor Angela Merkel
(d) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Taiwan is not expected to be a key topic of discussion, as China does not claim sovereignty over the self-ruled island.
2. The meeting will take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which the US is hosting.
3. The meeting will only cover a narrow range of topics, excluding the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and election interference.
4. The relationship between the US and China has deteriorated in recent years.
5. Analysts predict that the summit may result in some modest achievements, such as restoring military communications and restricting the flow of Chinese-made Fentanyl.
6. US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in the San Francisco Bay area next week.
7. This will be their first face-to-face meeting since Biden took office.
8. Biden is not determined to restore communication channels between the two nations’ militaries, but China has been willing to do so.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What are the main topics that US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping plan to discuss during their meeting?
2. How has the relationship between the US and China changed in recent years, and what incidents have contributed to this change?
3. What are some of the specific concerns and requests that President Biden is expected to raise with President Xi Jinping regarding Taiwan and the Middle East?
4. What outcomes do analysts predict from the summit between President Biden and President Xi Jinping, and what are the expectations for a reset in the relationship?
5. What additional diplomatic efforts have been made by the Biden administration to ease tensions with China, and what event involving Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng took place ahead of the summit?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Where is the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to take place?
The meeting is scheduled to take place in the San Francisco Bay area.
2. What are some of the topics that will be discussed during Biden and Xi’s meeting?
The topics will include the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, election interference, US restrictions on technology exports to China, tensions over Beijing’s territorial claims in the South and East China Seas, and China’s assistance in restraining Iran.
3. What recent incidents have contributed to the deterioration of the US-China relationship?
Incidents such as China sending a spy balloon across US airspace and the US arming Taiwan have contributed to the deterioration of the relationship.
4. What is one of the main objectives that Biden aims to achieve with regard to military communication channels?
Biden is determined to restore communication channels between the two nations’ militaries.
5. What stance is Biden likely to take on the issue of Taiwan during the meeting?
Biden is likely to express concerns about Beijing’s military activities around Taiwan and may ask for reassurances that the US does not support Taiwanese independence.
6. What are some potential outcomes that analysts predict may result from the summit?
Analysts predict that the summit may result in some modest achievements, such as restoring military communications and restricting the flow of Chinese-made Fentanyl.
7. How has the Biden administration been attempting to ease tensions with China prior to the summit?
The Biden administration has been working to ease tensions through diplomatic efforts, including sending cabinet members to Beijing for discussions.
8. What event is Xi Jinping expected to attend in San Francisco, and what are the costs associated with attending this event?
Xi Jinping is expected to attend a private dinner with US business executives in San Francisco. Tickets for the dinner start at $2,000 per person, with guests having the opportunity to sit at the Chinese president’s table for $40,000.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) Biden
(2) meeting
(3) topics
(4) airspace
(5) Cooperation
(6) summit
(7) territorial
(8) South
(9) predict
(10) blame
(11) deterioration
(12) administration
(13) Chinese
(14) Yellen
(15) cooperation
(16) media
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. meeting
Answer: (f) A gathering of people for a specific purpose
2. Taiwan
Answer: (h) A self-ruled island claimed by China
3. China
Answer: (g) A country in East Asia
4. tensions
Answer: (a) Strained or uneasy relations between two parties
5. summit
Answer: (e) A high-level conference or meeting
6. relationship
Answer: (b) The connection or interaction between two parties
7. Biden
Answer: (d) The current President of the United States
8. communication
Answer: (c) The exchange of information or ideas between individuals or groups
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Where are Joe Biden and Xi Jinping scheduled to meet?
Answer: (a) San Francisco Bay area
2. What is one of the topics that will be discussed during the meeting?
Answer: (a) Taiwan
3. What is China’s stance on Taiwan?
Answer: (c) China claims sovereignty over Taiwan
4. What is one of the reasons for the deterioration in US-China relations?
Answer: (d) China sending a spy balloon across US airspace
5. What is one of the achievements that may result from the summit?
Answer: (d) Restoring military communications
6. Who does the Chinese blame for the deterioration in relations?
Answer: (b) The US
7. What is one of the diplomatic efforts made by the Biden administration to ease tensions?
Answer: (c) Sending cabinet members to Beijing for discussions
8. Who did US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen hold talks with?
Answer: (b) Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Taiwan is not expected to be a key topic of discussion, as China does not claim sovereignty over the self-ruled island. (Answer: False)
2. The meeting will take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which the US is hosting. (Answer: True)
3. The meeting will only cover a narrow range of topics, excluding the Israel-Hamas war, Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and election interference. (Answer: False)
4. The relationship between the US and China has deteriorated in recent years. (Answer: True)
5. Analysts predict that the summit may result in some modest achievements, such as restoring military communications and restricting the flow of Chinese-made Fentanyl. (Answer: True)
6. US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in the San Francisco Bay area next week. (Answer: True)
7. This will be their first face-to-face meeting since Biden took office. (Answer: False)
8. Biden is not determined to restore communication channels between the two nations’ militaries, but China has been willing to do so. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
