Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden on Saturday that he will work with the incoming administration of President-elect Trump, as the two current leaders spoke on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru.
The meeting between Biden and Xi marks the first time the two have spoken in seven months, Reuters reported, and may be the last time the two meet on issues ranging from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia before Trump returns to the country. The Oval Office in January 2025.
Xi told Biden, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and stable relationship between China and the US has not changed,” acknowledging the “up and down” between the two countries.
“China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage tensions,” Xi said.
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President Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, Lima, Peru. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)
Biden told Xi that maintaining leader-to-leader talks will be important after Biden leaves, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who was seen sitting next to Biden during the meeting.
He also admitted to the Chinese leader that while the two may not have always agreed, their discussions were “frank” and “pure.”
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President Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Lima. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
China and other G-20 members will likely fight to resume Trump’s “America First” policy, which emphasizes higher tariffs. Trump launched a trade war with China during his first term in 2018, raising tariffs by up to 25% on steel, aluminum and other Chinese-made products. China has retaliated with similar tariffs against the US Trump, who promised to raise tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese imports while running for president, although it is unclear if the increase will actually go up.
Biden has aimed to ease tensions with China, but during his meeting with Xi on Saturday, there appeared to be few signs of breakthroughs in the larger crisis.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping told Biden, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship has not changed,” (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Still, the two agreed that humans, not artificial intelligence, should make the final decisions when it comes to the use of nuclear weapons, the White House noted, marking the first time the two countries have raised the issue.
Biden and Xi also talked about China’s ally, North Korea, deepening relations with Russia and even investing troops in Moscow’s war with Ukraine. The move has raised concerns not only for Washington, but also for European capital and Beijing.
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“President Biden indicated that the position (of the People’s Republic of China) expressed publicly in relation to the war in Ukraine should not escalate, not to escalate the conflict, and the introduction of troops (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) competes squarely. That,” said Sullivan. “He also indicated that the PRC has influence and power, and should use it to try to prevent further escalation or further escalation of the conflict and the introduction of more DPRK forces even more so.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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