WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden raised human rights concerns during a Monday evening virtual summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and pushed for “common-sense guard rails” so tense competition between the two world powers does not lead to conflict.

The meeting, which lasted about three and a half hours, came at a near nadir in a relationship that most foreign policy analysts expect will define the 21st century after years of tense relations. Both sides articulated they see basic communication as key to avoiding a major crisis.