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Lecso, a Hungarian pepper stew, a taste of tradition B3

Defense Department health plan cuts its pharmacy network B4

MONDAY | November 14, 2022 | $1.00

DAILYREPUBLIC.COM | Well said. Well read.

All eyes on Biden, Xi ahead of superpower showdown at G-20 summit Tribune Content Agency PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Last November, President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged from a virtual meeting determined to chart a new path that would prevent the two superpowers from spiraling into an open conflict. But a year later, as the two presidents prepare to meet in person for the first time since Biden took office, Washington and Beijing remain in a diplomatic and economic standoff. On Monday, Biden and Xi will meet on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit and again try to repair the world’s most important bilateral relationship. The two leaders are likely to offer a familiar refrain about prioritizing stability as they hash out their differences, analysts say. China and the U.S. have clashed over trade, climate change, human rights and Beijing’s tacit support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The two superpowers are also fundamentally at odds over the subject of Taiwan. Disputes over the status of the island’s democracy have driven much of the recent enmity between China and the U.S. China views Taiwan as a renegade province that it wants to reclaim, a prospect that has taken on urgency as Xi has moved into a more aggressive stance in military action and rhetoric toward eventual unification. The U.S. acknowledges China’s position without endorsing it. But

Biden has said on four occasions that the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily if China attacked – a statement that conflicts with Washington’s long-standing policy of remaining silent about what it might do in the case of a Chinese attack. Relations between the U.S. and China worsened in August after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, which Beijing viewed as an offense against its claims of sovereignty. In response, China’s military launched missile tests, warships and planes around Taiwan for several days, imposed sanctions on Pelosi and cut off all communication with the U.S. on issues as diverse as military relations and climate change. “It’s a very good development; they are at least talking,” said Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. “What’s most likely to happen is they agree to resume some discussions on things.” Even on Taiwan, there is “at least some common ground” between the two countries, Pei added: “They have a lot of differences, but one thing they don’t want to see is a direct conflict.” White House officials stressed that there’s no expectation Biden’s meeting with Xi will yield any progress. The two presidents have no plans to issue a joint statement following the meeting, administration officials said, underscoring just how little has See Biden, Page A7

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2021)

Kaiser Permanente nurses take part in a sympathy strike with Stationary Engineers Local 39 at Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center, Nov. 19, 2021.

Nurses plan 2-day strike at both Solano Kaiser Permanente hospitals Work stoppage schedule includes 19 other Bay Area, Sacramento region, Central Valley facilities Staff and wire reports VACAVILLE — Nurses who work at both Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Solano County plan to hold a two-day strike later this month to continue voicing their concerns about chronic shortstaffing and workplace health and safety. The strike is scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22, and includes Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center among the 21 facilities scheduled for strikes. Strikes are also planned at

DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

President Joe Biden met virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2021. They’re set to meet in person on Monday to try to repair the world’s most important bilateral relationship.

ciation/National Nurses United, the labor union that represents 21,000 registered nurses and nurse practitioners at the 21 medical centers, said the nurses’ strike is to protest Kaiser Permanente’s refusal to address their concerns “with little to no movement on key issues.” “We always want to give our patients the best care, but Kaiser refuses to provide the resources we need to do our jobs safely,” CNA President Cathy Kennedy, a registered nurse in the neonatal ICU Unit at the Roseville medical See Strike, Page A7

NorthBay set to end Partnership HealthPlan contract amid talks Daily Republic Staff

Alex Wong/Getty Images/TNS file (2021)

Kaiser Permanente medical centers in San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, Fremont, San Jose and Walnut Creek and Antioch, among other facilities in the greater Bay Area, as well as those in Sacramento, south Sacramento and Roseville in the Sacramento area, and those in the San Joaquin Valley from Manteca and Modesto in the north valley to Fresno in the central valley. The strike is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Nov. 21 and ends at 6:59 p.m. Nov. 23 with picketing from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at each location. The California Nurses Asso-

FAIRFIELD — Thousands of Medi-Cal patients may soon lose their doctors if NorthBay Health and Partnership HealthPlan California fail to come terms on a contract by the end of the month. NorthBay Health notified some 7,700 patients enrolled in Partnership HealthPlan of California that their ability to obtain care by NorthBay Health’s providers may change Dec. 1. NorthBay, after nearly 18 months of informal negotiations, sent a notification to Partnership HealthPlan of its intent to end its contract with Part-

Health hospitals nership HealthPan on Nov. 30. in Fairfield and The dispute Vacaville, in the centers on reimevent they need bursement rates. hospital services. Unless the “NorthBay two health care values its relaentities reach an tionship with agreement, NorthPartnership and is Bay Health will no GIBBONEY JONES grateful for the longer be part of Partnership HealthPlan’s network opportunity to serve its patients,” as of Dec. 1. B. Konard Jones, CEO and PresNorthBay Health currently ident of NorthBay Health, said cares for 7,700 Partnership Health- in a statement released Friday. Plan patients through its primary “Unfortunately, the terms of our care services in Fairfield, Green contract have caused financial Valley and Vacaville. Another 68,000 are assigned to NorthBay See Talks, Page A7

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