US President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the last time on Saturday, but his goal of reducing tensions before Donald Trump’s inauguration became challenging due to new disputes over cybercrime, the trade, Taiwan and Russia.
The White House said Biden and Xi held talks for the first time in seven months, which took place in Lima, Peru, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. This meeting was scheduled for four in the afternoon, US time.
US angry over cyberattacks and Taiwan
Washington is angered by a recent China-linked cyberattack that targeted the telephone communications systems of U.S. government officials and people associated with the presidential campaign. Apart from this, increasing pressure on Taiwan and Chinese support for Russia have also increased US concerns. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-tey plans to stop in the US state of Hawaii and possibly Guam in the coming weeks, which is sure to anger Beijing. Meanwhile, Biden also met with Taiwan’s representative and former Economy Minister Lin Hsin-e, who invited him to visit Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan its own, while the United States is Taiwan’s largest international supporter and arms supplier, although the two do not have formal diplomatic relations.
growing tension around trade
Trade sanctions imposed on the Chinese economy by the Biden administration, such as limits on US investment in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors and a ban on exports of advanced computer chips, are causing enormous economic damage to Beijing. All these issues are likely to be discussed in talks between the two leaders. However, China has always rejected US hacking accusations and called issues related to Taiwan and Russia its domestic policy.
Trump’s new trade policy and China concerns
After becoming president, Donald Trump has planned to impose a blanket 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods. At the same time, he is preparing to appoint officials who favor a strict anti-China policy in the US administration. These may include Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor.
Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, saw the transition as an opportunity for rivals and said Biden would emphasize the need to maintain “stability, clarity and predictability” under Xi Jinping.
Shen Dingli, a Shanghai-based international relations expert, said China wants to reduce tensions during this transition period. He said: “China certainly does not want any major tensions to arise in relations with the United States before Trump takes office.”
China’s growing penetration in South America
This summit held in Lima is a signal to the United States of China’s growing presence in its own region. China is currently making a diplomatic effort to increase its influence in Latin American countries, so the United States faces new challenges.
