Multiple U.S. media outlets reported on Wednesday (November 13) that President Biden will meet with the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, in Peru on Saturday (16th). This will be the third face-to-face meeting between President Biden and a Chinese leader during his term in office, and it’s expected to be the last.
Both leaders will be attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru. Their last meeting took place in 2023 during the APEC summit in San Francisco.
According to the National Public Radio (NPR), White House officials stated that the expected summit is unlikely to produce a long list of outcomes or deliverables.
The official also mentioned that President Biden is expected to use this meeting to evaluate the efforts made by both countries in responsible competition management, including resuming military dialogues over the past year, joint efforts to combat illegal fentanyl trade, addressing risks of artificial intelligence, and climate issues.
When asked if President Biden plans to discuss the incoming President Trump or Trump’s policies with Xi Jinping during the summit, the official, who requested anonymity to discuss meeting content, refused to comment.
They also did not respond to questions regarding whether Trump and his advisors have received (or requested) briefings on classified intelligence related to China.
President Biden is expected to emphasize issues of concern to the U.S. during the meeting while summarizing the achievements of his policy towards China.
This includes Beijing’s continued support for the Russian defense industry during the Ukraine conflict.
A senior White House official stated that this support is unlikely to cease, making it an issue left for the incoming Trump administration to handle.
During their last meeting in California, Biden and Xi Jinping focused on three agendas: military communications, anti-drug efforts, and artificial intelligence. The Biden administration has been trying to enhance dialogue with Chinese officials in these three areas to reduce misjudgments and uncertainties.
Another backdrop to this meeting is the ongoing investigation by the U.S. intelligence community into Chinese hacker intrusions related to China’s Ministry of State Security on U.S. telecommunications networks.
So far, potential victims discovered by the U.S. include Trump, Vice President Harris’s campaign team, as well as significant figures in politics and businesses, showing the extent of Chinese intrusion into U.S. national security has far exceeded expectations.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday (November 10) that this was a “very significant attack,” and he mentioned that Biden always addresses the issue of Chinese cyber espionage activities with Xi Jinping during their talks.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the entire national security apparatus are working diligently to investigate this matter. “Of course, this will be on the agenda of every American and Chinese official in the coming weeks,” he said.
A senior government official mentioned that Biden will warn Xi Jinping that reckless attacks by Beijing targeting critical U.S. networks will only lead to further decoupling between the U.S. and China in technology.
Former senior State Department official during the Obama administration, Danny Russel, told NPR that Biden could use the meeting with Xi Jinping to emphasize that Beijing must change its trade behavior, rather than just threatening retaliation.
“I hope Biden can offer some practical perspectives since the possibility of the Trump administration imposing tariffs is very real,” said Russel, who currently works at the Asia Society.