Biden, Kishida talk China, nuclear weapons in first meeting

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have used their first formal meeting to discuss concerns about China’s growing military assertiveness. Kishida says they spent a “significant amount” of their 80-minute call Friday on issues surrounding China. The U.S. and Japan are concerned about China’s increasing aggression toward Taiwan. Biden and Kishida’s virtual meeting came as North Korea earlier this week suggested it might resume nuclear testing. Kishida says he raised to Biden concerns about nuclear security. White House officials say efforts in the COVID-19 pandemic and the brewing crisis in eastern Europe as Russia has massed troops near the Ukraine border also were on the agenda.