The most significant achievement of last week’s meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping was that it took place. Xi agreed to crack down on fentanyl exports and resume military communication channels. There was some agreement on working together on managing risks from artificial intelligence. It took six months of ground work by cabinet-level officials and four hours of direct talks between the two leaders to agree on these limited points. Clearly the non-agreements surpass the agreements. The post-meeting readout by the White House conceded little, saying that the meeting was “candid and constructive" and set the tone at the...