Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden on Saturday that he would work with President-elect Trump’s incoming administration, as the two current leaders did on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima, Peru. Talked.
According to Reuters, the meeting between Biden and Xi was the first time the two have spoken in seven months, and the two may discuss issues ranging from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Trump’s return to Russia. Meet first. The Oval Office in January 2025.
“China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged,” Xi told Biden, acknowledging the “fluctuations” between the two countries.
“China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, enhance cooperation and manage differences,” Xi said.
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President Biden shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Lima, Peru. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)
Biden told Xi it would be important to maintain leader-to-leader talks after Biden leaves office, according to national security adviser Jack Sullivan, who sat with Biden during the meeting.
He also acknowledged to the Chinese leader that while the two do not always agree, their discussions have been “frank” and “clear”.
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President Biden meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, November 16, 2024 in Lima. (AP Photo/Manuel Balas Senata)
China and other G-20 members will likely be ready to resume Trump’s “America First” policy, with a heavy emphasis on higher tariffs. Trump famously launched a trade war with China in his first term in 2018, raising tariffs of up to 25 percent on steel, aluminum and other Chinese-made products. China promised to raise tariffs on Chinese imports by up to 60 percent during the U.S. presidential election, although it is unclear whether they will actually go that far.
Biden aims to ease tensions with China, but during his meeting with Xi on Saturday, there were few signs of progress on larger issues.
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“China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged,” Chinese President Xi Jinping told Biden. (AP Photo/Manuel Balas Senata)
Still, the two agreed that final decisions on whether to use nuclear weapons should be made by artificial intelligence, not humans, 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, which is deepening ties with Russia and even deploying troops to Moscow’s war with Ukraine. This move has raised concerns not only for Washington but also for European capitals and Beijing.
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“President Biden pointed out that (the People’s Republic of China’s) publicly stated position regarding the war in Ukraine is that there should be no escalation, no widening of the conflict, and (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea )’s troop introduction runs four squares against that,” Sullivan said. “They also pointed out that the PRC has influence and capacity, and should use it to escalate or further expand the conflict with the introduction of more DPRK forces.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
