We want to turn now to today's historic meeting between President Biden and China's Xi Jinping, both leaders emphasizing the importance of communicating with each other. Peter Alexander has late details.

Tonight, President Biden and China's President, Xi, face-to-face, this greeting, kicking off their first in-person visit in a year, an effort to restore one of the world's most consequential relationships, now at its lowest point in decades. President Biden late tonight.

We're in a competitive relationship, China and the United States. But my responsibility is to make this rational and manageable so it doesn't result in conflict.

President Xi appearing to acknowledge that tensions have escalated, saying the US-China relationship has never been smooth sailing but has always moved forward. Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed, President Xi said, adding as long as they respect each other, they'll be fully capable of rising above their differences. Still, those differences run deep. Tonight, White House advisors tell us they're looking to restart direct military-to-military talks, the collapse following the US shooting down that Chinese spy balloon. Among other tension points, China's close ties with Russia and Iran, the threat of aggression toward Taiwan, and China's theft of technology and hacking, as FBI Director Christopher Ray warned about again today. China alone has the biggest hacking program in the world by far. They're not slowing down. One expected takeaway, both sides agreeing to a joint working group to combat the illegal flow of fentanyl from China into the US. Still, many Republicans say President Biden is not being tough enough with China.

I think it represents, guys, a fundamental misunderstanding of this relationship by Joe Biden. We are in a great power struggle. They're hell bent on world domination.

Coming into tonight's meeting, Biden administration officials have repeatedly tried to lower expectations of any major breakthroughs. They say just having this summit is progress.

Lester. Peter, thank you. Let me bring in Janice, Mackie, Freyer, now, who covers China for us. Janice, this meeting is being watched just as carefully in Beijing.

Lester, optics are key here. The images of Xi Putin welcomed by President Biden, the flag waving. Even as Chinese made limousines driving on American soil, they are all over state media and social media in China. The message that she is a statesman who's respected by the US, the one country that for years has been officially vilified there for being a bully trying to contain China's rise. So a positive visit here for she is a starting block for reshaping Chinese public opinion. And it's also a strong sign that China's leadership is ready to engage again.

Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the BBC News app or follow us on social media.