Biden meets Xi Jinping during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit

President Joe Biden met Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, in what many believe were attempts to "reset" the tensions between the United States and China, at least on the military front.

According to CNBC, the two world leaders joined in the high-stakes meetup outside San Francisco at the event.

The outlet noted:

Biden and Xi were expected to discuss curbing fentanyl flows into the U.S., safe use of artificial intelligence, and American restrictions on Chinese access to high-end tech.

The meetup marked the first one between the two world leaders in a year and comes as China continues displaying aggressive military tactics and maneuvers in the South China Sea, in what many believe is a precursor to an invasion of Taiwan.

🚨 JUST IN: Joe Biden and his good friend Xi Jinping have reunited at last.pic.twitter.com/5tG2zuJQgs

— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) November 15, 2023

Both presidents managed to get a few quotes out for the news cycle and took time for plenty of photo ops.

"We have to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict," Biden said at Wednesday's summit. "Critical global challenges we face, from climate change to counternarcotics to artificial intelligence, demand our joint efforts."

Jinping signaled that his country isn't interested in quarrelling with the United States and insisted that both countries can succeed without tension.

"For two large countries like China and the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option," Xi said to kick off his speech. "Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed."

Not surprisingly, the U.S. president was torched by many across social media, especially during certain moments, one of which included his microphone being cut off as he made a remark about the lack of a free press in communist China.

JUST IN: Biden's microphone is cut as he makes a joke about the press to President Xi Jinping of China where the US says there's no freedom of the press. WATCH pic.twitter.com/NvD66nfKKW

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) November 15, 2023

Another moment was captured that appeared to show the elderly president looking quite confused.

JUST IN: President Biden seems confused ahead of a private meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. WATCH pic.twitter.com/YvPTEFGule

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) November 15, 2023

It's no wonder why much of the world thinks the United States is a joke under Biden's elderly, gaffe-prone leadership.