The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and United States President Joe Biden in Bali, their first in-person meeting as leaders of the superpowers, inevitably attracted much global media attention.

While Mr Xi and Mr Biden found common ground on many global issues, both men stood firm on the most contentious issue that divides them: Taiwan. Any hopes of rapprochement from this encounter must be tempered by the fact that Taiwan remains a potential flashpoint that could impact the Indo-Pacific region and beyond if it turns into a full-scale war.