Biden and Xi Meet Amid Shifting U.S.-China Relations

In a significant meeting held in Peru, President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the evolving state of U.S.-China relations, now facing new challenges as Donald Trump is set to take office again with plans for a more aggressive approach. This summit, taking place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, could be Biden's final opportunity to directly address Xi after four years focused on competing with China while avoiding direct confrontation.

During their meeting, Xi emphasized China's commitment to a stable relationship with the U.S., saying, “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged.” However, observations from the White House reveal a complicated context where the Chinese government seems increasingly dismissive of the previous diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration.

As Biden exits the political stage, concerns are rising regarding China's forging of closer ties with Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, as well as recent accusations against Chinese hackers breaching U.S. telecommunications systems to gather sensitive information. Furthermore, China's military maneuvers around Taiwan and its assertive activities in the contested South China Sea continue to provoke anxiety in Washington.

In a rapidly shifting global landscape, the reactions to this pivotal meeting herald the coming challenges and strategies that both the Biden and Trump administrations will need to navigate in their dealings with China.