Biden and Xi will likely meet for the last time on Saturday: NPR

President Biden Chinese President Xi Jinping last met on November 15, 2023 in Woodside, California.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP

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Brendan Smialowski/AFP

LIMA, Peru — President Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Lima, Peru, a senior U.S. government official told reporters Wednesday.

This is the third meeting between the two leaders during Biden’s term, and likely the last. Their last meeting was about a year ago in Woodside, California.

The official said “not a long list of results or outcomes” is expected from this latest conversation.

Biden is expected to use the meeting to “take stock of efforts to responsibly manage competition” between the two countries, the official said, including resuming last year’s military-to-military talks. and concerted efforts to curb the illicit trade in fentanyl. , dealing with the risks of AI and climate issues.

Biden is expected to express concern about Chinese support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, warn China about cyber attacks on US networks, and raise concerns about Chinese trade practices.

The official declined to comment on whether Biden planned to talk about this upcoming meeting with Xi during his Oval Office meeting with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday — or whether Biden would talk to Xi about Trump.

“This is a difficult, complicated relationship between the U.S. and China, and whatever the next administration decides, they will have to find ways to manage that difficult, complicated relationship,” the official said.

Biden had built on parts of Trump’s China policy during his term, elevating the meetings of the informal grouping known as the Quad – the US, Japan, India and Australia – and for the most part to maintain Trump’s tariffs on China. Trump threatened to raise tariffs again during his campaign.

Biden could use his meeting with Xi to underscore that China must change its trade practices and not just threaten retaliation, Danny Russel, a top State Department official in the Obama administration, said in an interview.

“I would look to Biden to make some practical points because there is a real possibility that the Trump administration will impose tariffs,” said Russell, now at the Asia Society. “And that should be a clear call to major offenders like China to change their policies and practices.”