Pool Reports of November 14, 2022

Travel pool report #1. Bali gather

Greetings from Bali on this humid, warm morning. I am your pooler. We are being swept and have taken two Covid tests – the usual rapid version and, unusually, also a PCR.

While we await movement of the motorcade from the RON, here is a reminder of today's schedule (Bali time/EST+13/GMT+8):

CIT

11:30 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time

12:30 PM THE PRESIDENT holds a bilateral meeting with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia
Apurva Kempinski, Bali, Indonesia
Out-of-Town Pool Spray

5:30 PM THE PRESIDENT holds a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China
Mulia Hotel, Bali, Indonesia
Out-of-Town Pool Spray

9:30 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks and takes questions
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Bali, Indonesia
Pre-Credentialed Media

Travel pool report 2 - rolling

At 12:10 motorcade is rolling from the RON to the Apurva Kempinski for the POTUS bilat with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Travel pool report 3 - hotel arrival

At 12:24 pm the motorcade arrived at the Kempinski hotel for the Widodo bilat.

Pool did not lay eyes on POTUS himself. We are going to be swept again before going into the meeting.

Travel pool report 4 - bilat

At 12:34 pm pool entered a room where Presidents Biden and Widodo sat together, standing briefly to shake hands and smile.

National flags of the two countries behind them as well as the G20 logo.

Staff for both leaders sat in rows to each side, including Sec State Blinken.

Biden followed Widodo's welcome lightheartedly:

"As I told you mr president I don't think I'm going home,"he joked, saying he's thinking of "staying on the beach."

Indonesia is a "Critical partner" and a major democracy, he said after.

Biden said that clean energy partnership and fighting pandemics were in the agenda.

At 12:39 pool was sent out of room. Biden smiled but didn't answer shouted questions on how he was preparing for his Xi meeting later today.

More quotes to come.

Travel pool report 5 - more bilat quotes + manifest

Pool is holding in the parked motorcade, awaiting POTUS.

As promised, here are a few more quotes from the bilat, with thanks to poolers Courtney Subramanian and Josh Wingrove for assists.

Biden referred to US and Indonesia as "two of the largest democracies in the world."

Said: "tomorrow we will unveil a transformative new partnership to support Indonesia's clean energy."

Said they would "collaborate to protect our people including the ability to fight infectious disease."

Also:

"Together we're pursuing a better future. We've finalized a new partnership through the Millennium Challenge Corporation to invest nearly $700 million in developing high quality transportation infrastructure here in Indonesia."

Finally, these details from the White House on the POTUS staff group:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route the Apurva Kempinski in Bali, Indonesia:

Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Secretary Janet Yellen, Department of the Treasury
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol for the United States
Ambassador Yohannes Abraham, United States to ASEAN
Ambassador Sung Kim, United States to Indonesia
Mike Pyle, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President & Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific
Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Edgard Kagan, Special Assistant to the President & National Security Council Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania
Adrienne Watson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the Press & National Security Council Spokesperson
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Curtis Ried, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs
Charles Fromstein, National Security Council Director of Visits & Diplomatic Affairs
John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications

Greeting the President upon arrival at the Apurva Kempinski in Bali, Indonesia:

Andy Rachmianto, Indonesian Chief of Protocol for the State

Travel pool report 6 - rolling

At 1:33 pm the motorcade was rolling. Pool not able to see POTUS himself.

Travel pool report 7 - RON + lid

At 1:45 pm the motorcade reached the RON where we are holding until departure for the Xi bilat, set to start at 5:30 pm.

Pool did not see POTUS himself leaving the motorcade.

The White House called a lunch lid till 3:30.

Along the way, pool saw a small, surprisingly dedicated group of people waving mini Indonesian flags at the motorcade under strong sun. There was a heavy police presence the entire route but (unlike the ghost city created by authorities during the president's Phnom Penh trip) that did not did not stop regular people from gathering to watch and film on phones and businesses along the way seemed to be functioning unimpeded.

Travel pool report 8 - lunch lid extended

White House extended our lunch lid to 4:10 pm

Travel pool report 9 - motorcade to Xi bilat

POTUS' motorcade was rolling at 5:12 en route for the Xi bilat at the Mulia hotel.

For background, Biden and Xi have often met and talked over their long careers. However, this is the first in-person meet since Biden took office. There have been five phone or video calls during that time.

Last time Biden met Xi face to face was in Davos in 2017.

Last time Xi met a US leader it was Trump in 2019.

Travel pool report 10 - arrival at Xi bilat hotel

POTUS motorcade arrived at the Mulia hotel at 5:23 pm. Pool could not lay down yes on POTUS himself.

Travel pool report 11 - Biden-Xi greet

The two presidents walked across a hallway and Shook hands at 5:36 pm in front of a row of their national flags. They smiled and posed for photos.
Biden may have said "good to see you" but it was barely audible for pool.
They did not respond to shouted questions from and pool was hustled into the room where the bilat is happening.

Travel pool report 12 - bilat spray + quotes

The leaders entered at 5:40 pm. They were chatting as they walked.

Delegations were already there.

(First quotes below. Will endeavor to send more later.)

The layout looks more appropriate to a formal summit than your typical bilat. Rather than sit side by side or at least within handshake range, Biden and Xi sat facing each other at the center of two identical long, thin tables. Their respective staff sat to each side. Between the two tables was a carpeted gap of about 12 feet. This was partially filled with a thick, rather impressive flower arrangement.

Each side had its state flag standing behind the leader. In addition, a thicket of alternating US and Chinese flags stood at the far end of the parallel tables.

Biden spoke first:
"It's just great to see you."
"Little substitute to face to face"
"Committed to keeping the lines of communication open."
"Manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming conflict."
Hopes "for us to work together. The United states stands ready."

Xi followed. He spoke in Chinese and your pooler was listening to a simultaneous translation on headphones:

"It's good to see you."

Notes they Last met in 2017. Says Despite talking often, there's no "substitute " to In-person.
"History is the best textbook."
"We should take history as a mirror and let it guide the future."

"The world has come to a crossroads."
"We need to chart the right course "
"We need to…Elevate the relationship "
"The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle the relationship."
"Ready to have a candid... and in-depth exchange of views "

Travel pool report 13 - bilat participatants

Per WH:

The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China. Meeting participants include:

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State
T.H. Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
T.H. Nicholas Burns, Ambassador of the United States to the People's Republic of China
T.H. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council
T.H. Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
T.H. Laura Rosenberger, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for China, National Security Council
Mr. Rush Doshi, Director for China, National Security Council
Mr. Jonathan Czin, Director for China, National Security Council

China Manifest
H.E. XI Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China
H.E. DING Xuexiang,Permanent Member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, Director of CPC Central Committee General Office
H.E. WANG Yi, Member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, State Councilor, Minister of Foreign affairs
H.E. HE Lifeng, Member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of CPPCC National Committee, Chairman of NDRC
H.E. MA Zhaoxu, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
H.E. XIE Feng, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
H.E. LYU Luhua, Secretary to the President
Ms. HUA Chunying, Assistant Minister And Director- General of Information Department
Mr. YANG Tao, Director-General of Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs
Mr. ZHENG Liqiao, Deputy Director-General of Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs

Travel pool report 14 - color and full quotes

Pool was sent out after the two leaders spoke. We were in the room for about 12 minutes and they spoke approximately three minutes each.

The tone was relaxed, as illustrated by the way both leaders opened by noting how there is no substitute for meeting in person.

In terms of body language there was a lot of smiling and no hesitation as they initially approached for their handshake.

Here are more quotes:

A good one from Xi:

"The world has come to a crossroads. Where to go from here. This is a question that is not only on our mind but also on the mind of all countries. The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle the relationship."

And here is an - unverified - full transcript of the Xi translation courtesy of one of my great AFP colleagues. It is mostly the official translation but includes a few spots where my colleague translated to fill gaps left by the official version.

"The last time we wet was in 2017 during World Economic Forum in Davos. That was already more than 5 years ago.

Since you assumed the presidency we have maintained communication via media conferences, phone calls and letters. But none of them can really substitute for face to face exchanges. Today we finally have this face to face meeting.

From the initial contact and the establishment of the diplomatic relations, to today, China and the US have gone through 15 plus eventful years. We have gained experiences and we have also learned lessons. History is the best textbook. So we should take history as a mirror and let it guide the future.

Currently the China-US relationship is in such situation that we all care a lot. This is not the fundamental interest of our two countries and peoples. It is also not what international community expected.

As leaders of two major countries we need to chart the right course for the china us relationship. We need to find the right direction for the bilateral relation going forward and elevate the relationship

A statesman should think not only about a road where to lead his country also think about how to get along with other countries and the world

Great changes are unfolding in ways like never before. Humanity are confronted with unprecedented challenge. The world has come to a cross road. To which direction should we go forward, this is a question not only on our mind but also on all countries'.

The world expect China and US will properly handle our relationships. For our meeting it has attracted the world's attention. We need to work with all countries to bring peace, confidence on stability and strong impetus to common development.

In our meeting today I am ready to have a candid and in-depth exchange of views with you on issues with strategic importance for China and US and major global issues. I am also looking forward to bringing China-US relation back to the track of healthy and stable development to benefit our two countries and the world."

Biden: again not verified transcript.

Biden: "I'm really glad to be able to see you again in person. We spent a lot time together back in the days when we were both vice presidents. And it's just great to see you. And you and I have had a number of candid and useful conversations over the years and since I became president as well. You were kind enough to call me and congratulate me, and I congratulated you as well.

"There's little substitute, though, for a face to face discussions. And as you know, I'm committed to keeping the lines of communications open between you and me personally, but also our government's across the board because our two countries are have so much that we have an opportunity to deal with as the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming anything ever to near conflict, and to find ways to work together on urgent global issues that require our mutual cooperation. And I believe this is critical for the sake of our two countries and the international community."

This this is a key to the theme of the COP 27 meeting where I spoke on Friday. And we'll be discussing a lot of these challenges together, I hope, in the next couple of hours. And the world expects, I believe, China and the United States to play key roles in addressing global challenges from climate changes to food insecurity, and for us to be able to work together. The United States stands ready to do just that, work with you, if that's what you desire."

Travel pool report 15 - bilat incident

A sidenote from the bilat:

Right at the end as we were being ushered out, the pool TV producer called out to President Biden, asking whether he would raise human rights during the talks. Instantly, a man from the Chinese side (he was wearing a white Covid mask with a Chinese flag on it) yanked the producer backwards by the backpack. She lost balance without falling and was pushed toward the door. Two White House staff members intervened saying the producer should be left alone.

Travel pool report 16 - talks end. Rolling.

The White House said that the Biden-Xi bilat ended. At 8:53 pm motorcade is rolling.

As a reminder, they had their handshake at 5:36 pm and came into the bilat room at 5:40 pm. So about three hours on the dot.

Travel pool report 17 - press conference hotel

At 9:06 pm the motorcade arrived at the Grand Hyatt hotel where the president's press conference is scheduled to start at 9:30 pm. Pool not able to lay eyes on POTUS.

Travel pool report 18 - presser 2 mins

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

Travel pool report 19 - detail on bilat timing

From White House: The meeting started at 5:48 pm and ended at 8:48 pm. There was about a 25 minute break in between.

Travel pool report 20 - presser ends

It ended at 10:19 pm. The president took five questions (he'd said he'd take four but stayed for a last one) before leaving in the sweltering heat, ignoring a bunch of other questions being shouted.

Travel pool report 21 - travel photo lid

We have a lid for the night at 10:24 pm.
Thanks to fellow poolers, especially Courtney Subramanian, and some very hard working White House staff, for awesome help on a long, eventful day.