US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart discussed climate change, in a first bilateral meeting in seven years.

The pair sat down together ahead of the APEC Summit in San Francisco.

Biden says Xi Jinping agreed to help disrupt fentanyl drug production, resume military communications and assess AI risk.

Herald business commentator Fran O'Sullivan says they also talked about a combined approach to the climate crisis.

"Between them, they're 40 percent of emissions for the world. These are major issues, they've got the big meeting up in Dubai coming soon- COP28."

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