President Joe Biden met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday during the APEC summit in Peru. This marked their final meeting before Donald Trump assumes the presidency.
Xi Stresses Cooperation
Xi Jinping expressed China’s willingness to collaborate with the new Trump administration. He emphasized the need for communication, increased cooperation, and managing differences.
Xi stated, “China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, to strive for a steady transition of the China-US relationship for the benefit of the two peoples.”
He also reaffirmed China’s goal of maintaining a stable and healthy relationship. “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged,” Xi said.
Trade Tensions Take Center Stage
The meeting followed Trump’s announcement of plans to impose a 60% tariff on Chinese goods. He also proposed tariffs of 10-20% on all imports. According to reports, Chinese officials expressed a desire to avoid a trade war. They also highlighted their focus on stabilizing global production and supply chains.
Highlighting the Importance of Partnership
Xi underlined the benefits of US-China cooperation. He warned against treating each other as adversaries.
Xi stated, “When the two countries treat each other as partner and friend, seek common ground while shelving differences and help each other succeed, our relationship would make considerable progress. But if we take each other as rivals or adversary, pursue vicious competition, and seek to hurt each other, we would roil the relationship or even set it back.”
Biden Calls for Stability
Biden urged Xi to maintain a steady relationship with the US. He stressed that competition should not escalate into conflict.
Biden said, “We are the most important alliance – or the most important relationship in the entire world, and how we’re getting along together can impact the rest of the world. And so our two countries can not let any of this competition veer into conflict. That’s our responsibility and over the last four years I think we’ve proven it’s possible to have this relationship.”
Trump Prepares for Leadership
Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, defeating Kamala Harris. He secured 295 electoral votes, while Harris received 226.
Since his victory, Trump has moved quickly to form his foreign policy and national security team. His plans for tariffs and foreign policy shifts will likely impact US-China relations.
The Biden-Xi meeting highlighted the importance of dialogue and cooperation. However, Trump’s upcoming presidency and proposed trade policies could reshape this critical relationship. Both nations face significant challenges in maintaining stability while navigating new dynamics.
