Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have held a three-and-a-half-hour-long video conference. The summit offered one positive result but also underlined China’s delusional aspiration for U.S. relations.

The mutual win came with both leaders’ pledge to bolster their personal relationship and ensure better lines of communication. That matters in light of rising military tensions in the East and South China seas. The risk of miscalculation and undesired escalation can be mitigated by greater contact and trust between the two leaders. This is particularly important for Xi, whose subordinates sometimes fail to inform him accurately on U.S. actions and intentions. Paranoia is a very dangerous ingredient when the People’s Liberation Army and U.S. military are in regular, close, and contested contact. If Xi feels more confident that Biden does not seek conflict, and that he can pick up the phone — or direct another official to do so — to gain clarification in a tense moment, that’s a good thing.