Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden are scheduled to meet in Lima following an Asia-Pacific summit, addressing issues like protectionism and geopolitical tensions. This marks their third and final meeting before Biden’s term ends, focusing on maintaining dialogue despite strained relations over trade and Taiwan. Both leaders emphasize unity against isolationism, with discussions expected to cover military communications and regional stability, as they prepare to attend the G20 summit in Brazil afterward.
Upcoming Meeting Between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden are set to meet this Saturday in Lima for their final official discussion. This meeting follows an Asia-Pacific summit that has raised concerns about ‘protectionism’ and ‘isolationism’ amid the backdrop of Donald Trump’s potential re-election.
The two global leaders will convene at 4:00 PM local time (9:00 PM GMT) at the hotel where Xi is staying, shortly after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit wraps up at noon. This summit gathers 21 economies, representing 60% of the world’s GDP.
Challenges Addressed by Xi Jinping
In a pre-meeting session, President Xi highlighted ‘challenges such as geopolitics, unilateralism, and rising protectionism.’ He emphasized the need for unity and cooperation among Asia-Pacific nations, as reported by Chinese state television CCTV.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric, speaking at the summit, called for Apec member countries to stand ‘more united than ever’ against the looming threat of isolationism, subtly alluding to Trump’s anticipated return to the presidency.
As the summit concluded, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte praised the agreement on the ‘Lima roadmap,’ which aims to transition from informal to formal economies in the region. She also passed the Apec presidency to South Korea, which will host the summit in 2025.
This meeting between Biden and Xi marks their third and final encounter before Biden steps down in January. U.S. officials view this tête-à-tête as a chance to build on last year’s historic meeting that helped ease tensions during the Apec summit in San Francisco.
Despite the deteriorating relations between China and the U.S. over trade, Taiwan’s status, human rights, and technological rivalry, both nations have continued their dialogue, albeit with challenges. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan highlighted the significance of this meeting in navigating the bilateral relationship during this sensitive transition phase.
Issues such as tensions in the South China Sea and maintaining communication lines, especially military ones, are expected to be on the agenda. Sullivan assured that this would not merely be a farewell meeting.
Trump’s shadow looms large over the discussions, as he has already appointed hardliners regarding China. During his campaign, he pledged to safeguard American industries, potentially imposing tariffs of 10 to 20% on imports and up to 60% on Chinese goods. His first term saw a significant trade war aimed at making Beijing purchase more American products to address the trade deficit.
On Friday, Xi warned against the dangers of unilateralism and protectionism, stating that the world has entered a ‘new period of turbulence and transformation.’ Biden echoed this sentiment, noting a moment of significant political change during discussions with Pacific allies Japan and South Korea.
According to Peruvian international relations analyst Farid Kahhat, uncertainty is prevalent, especially since Biden tends to honor agreements, whereas Trump’s unpredictability poses a different challenge.
Post-meeting, both leaders will travel to Brazil to attend the G20 summit.