Joe Biden and Xi Jinping Will Meet For The Last Time in an Unlikely Setting: Latin America

President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Peru on Saturday, marking the final in-person conversation between the two leaders during Biden's term. The meeting, which will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, will be the third time the leaders have met in person since Biden took office in early 2021.

The Biden administration anticipates that topics between the two will center less on achieving specific outcomes than on reinforcing current diplomatic objectives, Bloomberg reports.

Biden is expected to express concerns about China's continued support for Russia's defense sector and emphasize U.S. interests, such as counter-narcotics cooperation, military communications, and artificial intelligence dialogue—all initiatives Biden considers to be successes in U.S.-China diplomacy.

Although administration officials declined to comment when asked whether the topic of Donald Trump would be touched upon, chances are that the Chinese leaded is already focused on the next administration, as the Republican has promised plans to impose steep tariffs on all Chinese imports. The statements have prompted Xi to declare that both countries must find a way to "get along" in his first message to Trump since the president-elect secured a second term.

One key issue likely to feature in discussions between Biden and Xi is cybersecurity. The meeting follows a reported Chinese cyber intrusion into U.S. telecommunications networks, including access points for wiretapping. The president is expected to warn Xi that further cyberattacks could prompt further restrictions on Chinese technology in the U.S.

Relations between the U.S. and China have stabilized somewhat over the past year, after tensions rose sharply in early 2023 when an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon crossed into U.S. airspace. However, the Biden administration has continued implementing technology restrictions, including bans on Chinese electric vehicles and expanded tariffs inherited from the Trump administration's trade policies.

China -- the world's second-largest economy -- is grappling with a prolonged housing crisis and sluggish consumption that could worsen under Donald Trump, who has promised to slap 60 percent tariffs on Chinese imports.

While in Peru, the Chinese leader will also inaugurate South America's first Chinese-funded port, located about 50 miles north of Lima. Expected to serve as a major trade hub, the $3.5-billion complex is seen as symbolic of Beijing's growing influence in South America, where it has built a vast array of railways, highways and other infrastructure.

After Lima, Xi will go to the Brazilian coastal city of Rio de Janeiro from November 17 to 21 for a summit of G20 leaders.