President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping are set to meet on Saturday in what is likely their final face-to-face meeting during Biden’s term as President, with China preparing for a Donald Trump presidency in Washington. The two leaders are participating in a two-day heads of state meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group in Lima, Peru, which began on Friday. This meeting on Saturday will mark the third time the two leaders have met in person since Biden took office. Relations between the US and China, the world’s top superpowers, deteriorated during Trump’s presidency, with the start of a trade war using high tariff rates as a key point of contention. Tensions continued during Biden’s administration, with issues such as trade wars and concerns over TikTok adding to the strain. In 2023, Mexico overtook China as the US’s largest trade partner for the first time in two decades as economic ties between the US and China worsened. Despite these challenges, Biden has aimed to maintain a stable relationship with Beijing. Discussions between Xi and Biden at the Lima meeting are expected to cover the transition to a Trump White House and the importance of maintaining calm and rationality during this period. Trump has threatened to impose blanket tariffs of 60 percent on all Chinese imports to the US during his election campaign this year. The article also discusses the history of trade wars between the US and China, as well as tensions over Taiwan and the controversy surrounding the TikTok app. As Trump prepares to take office for a second term, economists predict a potential escalation in the trade war, with key cabinet picks indicating a tough stance towards Beijing.
