Trump's shadow looms as Xi and Biden hold final meeting

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima on Saturday. | POOL / VIA REUTERS

by JESSE JOHNSON
November 17, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping kicked off what has been billed as their last meeting, with both expected to emphasize the need to maintain stable ties just over two months before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Biden and Xi met at the hotel where Xi was staying on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima on Saturday. There, the two shook hands before the talks — their third meeting as the rival nations’ presidents — which were likely to focus on efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease the countries’ tense relationship.

“China is ready to work with the new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, so as to strive for a steady transition of the China-U.S. relationship for the benefit of the two peoples,” China’s official Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as telling Biden as the meeting began