US President Biden holds talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

This comes amid increasing tensions between the two countries on a range of thorny issues from trade to tech to investment.

According to the White House statement, the two leaders held a candid and constructive discussion on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including areas of cooperation and areas of difference.

The call follows the two leaders' meeting in Woodside, California in November 2023.

"They reviewed and encouraged progress on key issues discussed at the Woodside Summit, including counternarcotics cooperation, ongoing military-to-military communication, talks to address AI-related risks, and continuing efforts on climate change and people-to-people exchanges," the statement read. President Biden further emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

He also raised concerns over China's support for Russia's defence industrial base and its impact on European and transatlantic security.

"He emphasized the United States' enduring commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.

Moreover, US President Biden highlighted continued concerns about China's unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices, harming American workers and families.

"The President emphasized that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced US technologies from being used to undermine our national security, without unduly limiting trade and investment," it added.

Furthermore, Biden and Jinping embraced the ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication through high-level diplomacy and working-level consultations in the upcoming weeks and months.

"The two leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication and responsibly manage the relationship through high-level diplomacy and working-level consultations in the weeks and months ahead, including during upcoming visits by Secretary Yellen and Secretary Blinken," the statement read.

Ahead of the call, a senior administration official said that both the leaders will discuss the US-China bilateral relationship along with other various ongoing issues.

"President Biden and President Xi will discuss the US-China bilateral relationship, the continued importance of strengthening lines of communication and managing competition responsibly, and a range of regional and global issues," a senior administration official said on Monday during a press conference.

The official further emphasised that intense competition requires intense diplomacy to manage tensions and the call between the two leaders is one of the ways for that.

"Intense competition requires intense diplomacy to manage tensions, address misperceptions and prevent unintended conflict, and this call is one way to do that," the official said.

Moreover, they were also expected to discuss China's support for Russia's war against Ukraine and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

"On Tuesday, Biden and Xi will also discuss concerns over China's support for Russia's war against Ukraine, its economic trade practices, human rights abuses in Xinjiang and discuss the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," the official added.

The last time, the leaders had a conversation by phone was in July 2022, reported The Hill.

The call comes after the US and China's leaders committed to taking concrete actions to improve the relationship between both countries which has deteriorated over various issues.

Moreover, the US is also pushing for more predictable military-to-military communications between Washington and Beijing to avoid the potential for conflict in disputed waters, The Hill reported. (ANI)