Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to work with US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration as he held final talks with the outgoing president on Saturday. Joe Biden on major conflicts from cybercrime to trade to Taiwan and Russia.
Biden met with Xi for about two hours at the hotel where the Chinese leader was staying as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum held in Lima, the capital of Peru, for their first talks. in seven months.
After the election, Xi acknowledged the “ups and downs” between the countries, saying, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged.” “China is ready to work with the new US administration to engage, expand cooperation and manage differences.”
Biden told Xi that the two leaders did not always agree, but that their discussions were “sincere” and “sincere.”
The negotiations took place two months ago Trump takes office. He promised to adopt 60% rates on US imports of Chinese goods as part of the “America First” package of trade measures. Beijing opposes these steps. The Republican president-elect also plans to hire several hawk voices about China in top positions, including US Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser.
Biden has aimed to ease tensions with China, but Washington has been angered by recent developments China related hack The US government and the president are talking about phone calls between campaign officials and are concerned about Beijing’s increasing pressure on Taiwan and China’s support for Russia.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te plans to stop in the US state of Hawaii and possibly Guam. sensitive trip That will anger Beijing in the coming weeks, Reuters reported on Friday. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s former economy minister, Lin Hsin-yi, met with Biden at the summit on Friday and invited to visit Taiwan in the near future.
China considers the democratically governed Taiwan as its territory. The US is Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier, despite its lack of official diplomatic recognition.
Biden also wants help for North Korea, which worries Washington about China’s deepening ties with Russia and sending troops to war with Ukraine.
China’s economic blow
At the same time, The economy of Beijing including a plan that takes a hit from Biden’s moves on trade Limit US investment In Chinese artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors and export restrictions in high-end computer chips. US officials said that all these topics are expected to be included in the negotiations.
China regularly rejects US hacking allegations, views Taiwan as an internal matter and disputes American statements on Sino-Russian trade. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington declined to comment.
According to a simultaneous translation, Xi said while meeting with Biden: “If the two countries treat each other as partners and friends, seek common points while overcoming differences, and help each other succeed, our relations would make great progress.”
“But if we perceive each other as competitors or enemies, if we compete badly and try to harm each other, we can damage or even reverse the relationship.”
On Wednesday, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, described the transition as “a time when adversaries and adversaries can see possible opportunities.” Biden emphasized with Xi “the need to maintain stability, clarity and predictability through this transition between the United States and China.”
Shanghai-based international relations scholar Shen Dingli said China wants the meeting to ease tensions during the transition period. “China definitely does not want Trump to mess up relations with the United States before he officially takes office,” Shen said.
Leaders of the Pacific Ocean region gathered at the APEC summit assess the results of these events. Trump’s return to power As President of the United States on January 20. The South American summit presents new challenges to United States power in its own backyard, where China is on the charm offensive.
Xi, who arrived in Lima on Thursday, plans a week-long diplomatic blitz involving renewed free trade in Latin America. Agreement with Perugrand Chancay opening deep water port there and will be welcomed to the Brazilian capital next week for a state visit. China has also announced plans to host the APEC summit in 2026.
China is looking to Latin America for metal ores, soybeans and other goods, but U.S. officials worry it could seek new military and intelligence outposts adjacent to the United States. Chinese state-backed media called the accusations a smear.
The US official said Washington’s commitment to the region is strong and that China’s overseas infrastructure investment has declined in recent years due to domestic problems and problems with projects.
But Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, said Xi would be well received in the region.
“Biden’s visit will very clearly be overshadowed by all the things that Xi Jinping will do during his visit to APEC,” he said. “When Xi meets with Biden, it’s not part of his audience — it’s not just the White House or the US government. “It’s about American CEOs and continued U.S. investment, or whether the U.S. is trying to renew its investment in China and get rid of the perception that there is a hostile business environment in China.”