i'm chris hayes. president joe biden just wrapped up a four-hour summit with chinese president xi jinping. in northern california. we are expecting the president to take questions from the press any minute now, right there at that venue at woodside, california. today's event was the first time that president xi and president biden had met face to face in a year. it's only the second time that they had spoken in person since biden had been elected president. it's also the first visit of president xi to the united states since he met with then president trump at mar-a-lago. of course, more than six years ago. the two presidents held and expanded, bilateral meeting for two hours of southern noon, before having a more smaller, private meeting at 4:30 pm eastern time. there is a lot to talk about, to say the least. at the top of the agenda, a number of unfolding political geo crises. the white house is taking a renewed effort from china to curb the flow of illegal fentanyl in the u.s., specifically, the precursor chemicals into mexico, where they are often fabricated and shipped to the u.s.. fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid, is largely manufactured in chinese elapse. it's been a major contributing factors to the shockingly fast overdose crisis in this country. the pentagon is also hoping to resume normal military to military communications with beijing. those have been on hold. we have not had that since then speaker at the house nancy pelosi's controversial visit to taiwan last year. taiwan, of course, is according to the chinese communist party, is a part of china. they did not like the visit to an independent taiwan by the speaker of the house. there is also the ongoing oars in ukraine and gaza, that would be top of mind between the two leaders. there is hope in washington that china could wield its influence with iran 2% the current or in the middle east widening into a larger conflict. the white house would also like to see china pressure north korea to seize supplying weapons to russia, a mits at the war in ukraine. joining us now is nbc news white house correspondent, monica -- monica, set up what this meeting was today, and what the event there is? >> chris, we do understand from president biden himself, he called these some of the most productive and expensive conversations that he has had with president xi. of course, everything that you just outlined, all of these events of the last year did put some pressure on this meeting, but the expectations were a little bit lower because the assumption here was that this could be deemed a success, if things kind of returned to a baseline of a little bit of predictability. the resumption of those military to military communications, that was a high priority. we're told by senior administration officials that that is an outcome of these talks today, as well as china's commitment to helping stem the flow of fentanyl into the united states. we understand from those in the room with president biden on the u.s. side that this was a bit more of a personal exchange, they said, even in that meeting, that they last had a face to face about a year ago on the sidelines at the g20 summit in bali, because that is when the world was emerging from the covid pandemic, so even the seething was further apart. there was more difference between the two leaders, whereas, today, there are much closer, sitting at the same table. they had that brief walk that you saw there in the footage. they also had lunch together. it was a bit of a different tone in terms of the closeness and what could be exchanged here. again, the white house is saying that there is some real progress made. we still need to understand the specifics of that, and going into it, they did not want to lie in the expectations in case things did not go as well, but it seems from my conversations with officials that everything that they had hope for from a very basic level was met. the promise to continue to work on some of the issues, but some of the donor aspects, as well, chris, we know, when it comes to taiwan, for instance, that there was a large time set to discuss the elections that are set to take place there next year. of course, the chinese priorities and how they view that differs very much from what the u.s. says in respect to taiwan and not interfering with taiwan's independence. and then we also know when it comes to the war in gaza, it sounds like from senior administration officials that president biden did most of the talking when it comes to the middle east. that is how it was presented to reporters, and that president xi spent more time listening. of course, there is a message there that is conveyed. we expect to china to pressure iran and its proxy groups not to interfere in any way that would widen or deep in that conflict. we know that that was part of what was discussed as well. and then there were other major issues like climate change, something that the two countries have pledged to gather on an effect to say, if we don't do it, if these powers don't come together on that, that there is very little hope for others and other countries to step up and do more. they have also pledged to work together in that arena. i have to tell you, chris, there was so much stagecraft, so much behind the scenes effort that went into this from the flowers in the room, the seeding, who is going to and i, the camera angles, that chinese officials really wanted to know everything kind of shot by shot in terms of what president xi was going to experience. that gives you a sense of just how they were approaching all of this, but now, we're going to hear from president biden in this solo news conference, where he is going to give his own take about how those talks one. president xi, for his part, has left this meeting to go to his own dinner here in san francisco this evening would top u.s. ceos and business leaders and. in order to make his pitch to why he would like to see more u.s. investment in china, as the chinese economy continues to struggle post-pandemic. so two differing approaches to know how they will communicate with the american people about how these talks went today, from both sides. it does seem that there was some progress made on some key issues, some areas of cooperation, while agreeing that really the goal here was not to make matters worse, they continue this intense diplomacy and to continue to really focus on the strategic competition to make sure nothing goes off the rails here when we have seen some very close calls in the south china sea and taiwan strait in recent months, chris. >> the context here, monika, of course, you've got a 20-year period after the admission of china from the wto in the 90s, the favored nation trading session status in the clinton administration, of the increasing economic activity between the two countries, the two largest economies in the world. over the last few years, we have seen what many people have called a decoupling, untangling of the economic connection between the two nations. we've seen a decline in foreign investment in china. we've also seen increasingly adversarial and nationalist rhetoric on both sides, both from u.s. politicians, particularly under donald trump, and from others, you see it in public opinion, and from the chinese government and its spokespeople, as well as from chinese foreign opinion on chinese social media sites and the like. robert gibbs is with us. he served as white house press secretary for president barack obama. john berner is the former director of the cia, and they both join me now. john, let me start with you, because this is the largest country in the world, it is the largest economy in the world, in aggregate terms. it's been one of the most important trading partners for the u.s.. obviously, anonymously important country. every possible since. and things really have been on a downward trajectory. i think the relationship between the two countries over the last few years, what do you see as the most important agenda here coming out of this meeting from the u.s. side? >> well, i think, chris, things are on a better track. as you pointed out, we had a fair amount of attention in the relationship over the past couple of years. but it is simple countries interest for that to be a stable relationship between beijing and washington. as you point out, there is about three quarters of a trillion dollars in trade that takes place between china and the united states. so, very much, xi jinping want to make sure the china is going to simply be able to work with the united states, because he is dependent on that trade. the u.s. economy, in order to continue to fuel his economy. also, there's about the hundred thousand chinese students, college students here in the u.s., so there are extensive and broad ties between the two countries. so, i think as is pointed out, we need to make sure that there will be communication discourse particularly, military to military communication, so we can avoid any type of unattended escalation of tensions on the military roam. therefore, i do think that having a four-hour meeting, it's a good sign, and i do think that both president xi and president biden want to come out of the meeting to be able to say that things are on a better track. it does not mean that we still are not going to have differences of view and areas of tension, but the fact that we have the leaders of the two largest economies in the world talking to one another and trying to resolve some of the differences, i think it's very possible -- positive development. >> robert, this will be the first primetime presidential press conference in a bit, from president biden, and i suspect he will talk at the beginning about the meeting today with president xi and about u.s. china bilateral relationships, but one imagines that there is a lot that he'll adjust on the economy to donald trump's increasingly unnervingly authoritarian rhetoric to the ongoing war in gaza, the u.s. support of israel and our effort. >> yeah, chris, i think there's no doubt. first and foremost, the president will want to update the american people, really the world, about what was discussed during the four hour meeting. i think the reporters that we lead into this, these ideas that how do you let these two countries with areas of cooperation, it's hard to flip to the newspaper. it's hard to watch the news, and not see an issue that is the most important of those issues that does not require some of their cooperation. that is why today's meeting was so important, and it sounds like some progress was made. we'll hear directly for the president on the. anytime you get the president in front of the press corps, elected to get a full range of questions. my guess is, what is happening in the middle east would be extraordinarily important. you had an inflation report yesterday, which is tremendously important, as it relates to economic or if. and political questions, no doubt, as well. >> john, on the sort of geopolitical aspect of this, particularly with the military to military relations, i have to admit, i remember how controversial the trip was from the chinese side and nancy pelosi. i remember the threats, and the embellished runner coming from beijing in the lead up to that. i had forgotten that normal military to military relationship had been suspended as a result. can you explain what the military to military relationships, normalized military to military relationships mean, and why they are important for two nations that are neither sort of openly in conflict nor really -- >> as they try to address issues that come up between the two countries that involve military forces. for example, when there are tensions in the east china sea or areas up the pacific, it's a way to make sure that there is no misinterpretation of any types of activities that one military might be making. we have the chinese balloon, intelligence gathering balloon just over the united states last year. this is where a military to military communication on a realtime basis is so important. so there can be discussion and to prevent any type of escalation. having that regular engagement and the opportunity to be able to talk at the highest levels, it's so important. that is why i am hoping that one of the real outcomes of the meeting is going to be a real establishment of that, so that both military can in fact talk to one another and prevent any type of preventable problem that could arise whether it be on the air, sea or land. >> robert, one of the main shortage of questions and a political sense for the president, and i think it keeps them from second guessing, is the degree to which he puts his portugal sights on the man likely to be his challenger, in the presidential election. that is the twice impeached, four-time indicted, ex president donald trump. it seems that there has been a back and forth about what to do about how much the current president should communicate about him. i imagine that you'll get some questions to that effect today, and i am curious what you are looking for in terms of how, he and the political team there are thinking about framing this contests as we approach an election year? >> yeah, chris, i just think from just a stark political view, you have to assume at this point that donald trump is the very likely republican nominee. and we know that both sides, we're in a polarized environment, so to reach the people that are going to humbly decide the election, you're going to have to sift through a lot of people who already got their minds made up. i think it's tremendously important politically for the president to continually framed this for us, and from what the choices, and to actively put that voice in front of the american people and not shy away from drawing the contrast. i think the campaign will be long, it will be hard, it will be close, and the sooner that you begin to force that choice, to have people in this country look at the choice from the perspective and viewpoint that you want them to have that choice from, the better off i think the president will be politically. >> john, part of the presidents remarks tonight and the questions that he will answered is about the u.s. audience, an audience in china, and chinese meters, they hear how he is describing what just transpired in that room, but there will also be an international audience, particularly on the question of israel, hamas and gaza. i am curious, that is a place where public diplomacy and u.s. message sending matters quite a bit. there is a domestic israeli audience for it, an audience in the region for, a global pollens, and i'm curious, what you are sort of looking for and tracking how the president talks about the status of that conflict right now? >> i think he will say that he and president xi had a discussion about israel hamas conflict, as it was pointed out earlier. it sounds as though president xi was relatively good, and that is because the united states and biden have been actively involved in trying to do something to be able to bring the tensions down, or bring them to amend. but, china has become increasingly influential and active in the middle east. he was recently responsible for brokering the establishment of relations between iran and saudi arabia. china does have a large stake in the region, and i don't believe china want to see the region go up in flames. that is why i think it's important for president biden and president xi to talk about how they can work together to try to prevent any type of broadening at the conflicts, try to ensure that china uses its influence with iran to be able to discourage hezbollah from engaging and an even larger activity on the northern border of israel. this is something that i think president biden was looking for two, weighing in with president xi, the see if not she would do what he can to prevent further conflict in the middle east. >> there's also an interesting domestic political aspect of the u.s. china bilateral relationship. robert, i want to ask you about this. we have seen both in the polling, india u.s. public sort of opinion of china has gone down, there has been a rise in anti-china sentiment that has been ripped up, particularly by politicians, sometimes, who explicitly say things like, the republican party, we should not be talking about ukraine and helping out against russia, are real enemies and arrivals, china putting our attention there. you have used members of congress calling to expel chinese students from universities, surveilled and more actively. and i am curious what you think about how president biden sort of communicates about what i think is a worrying degree of demagoguery about the u.s. and china relationship domestically? >> i think it's an important question, chris. this is in a relationship that is complicated. it's a very competitive relationship, as it probably should be. look, i think you have to watch the president walk a bit of a fine line here, hoping the chinese accountable, making sure that he delivers in private with president xi, but also not in public, distinct and clear messages about what is important in the relationship and what the united states needs to get out of it. at the same time, walking away from the harshest of rhetoric, because in reality, we can't push these people aside, we can't push this relationship aside, it is imperative, as john said, that there is open communication, and we are working together. the north koreans, and the russians, we are not going to be able to imprint on them without the help of a chinese. >> there is something a little ironic in occasion for today's summit and the fact that they discussed, john, that the middle east, which is that for literally decades, are sort of running the team had been that u.s. policy has been too focused on the middle east, it's been sort of drawn into the thickening middle east politics and international affairs diplomacy, time and time again. it's sort of curtailed what should be a strategic pivot to asia. that would be the place where more u.s. foreign policy resources are being directed. here we, are the big some, it's a pack, president xi is here, and of course, there is extremely intense and deadly conflict in the middle east right now that you are going to have to talk about. >> well, i think the middle east is going to play a prominent role in global politics, and in large part, u.s. national security, for many years to come. i do think that the united states needs to be able to address the issues around the globe, the pivot to asia, dealing with russia's invasion of ukraine but also to be actively involved in trying to mediate some of these tensions that existed in the middle east that ended up in war. i do think that this is something that president biden unfortunately has had decades long experience with, and he's not a novice to any of these issues. nor is president xi. president xi has been in office now for 11 years or so, and therefore, i think it's going to be a discussion between two individuals, who are very astute observers at the international scene. but the united states and china had different interests, objectives and goals, when it comes to a lot of places at the world, including the middle east. that does not mean that we had the need to have a contentious relationship, going to be a hot one at each other, so i do think that because of china's interests, tried to make sure it's legal and its economy, that it does not want large-scale conflicts to erupt in any part of the world, because that is detrimental to chinese economic interests, and his political interest in terms of trying to expand its influence around the world. >> just to reset, here what we're watching there inside california, it's the apec summit, the asian pacific cooperation summit. president xi jinping is in from china and the u.s.,