Biden and Xi Jinping Meet at APEC: What to Expect

Biden and Xi Jinping are stressing the need for their nations to strengthen mutual understanding while cautioning that their interests will sometimes conflict.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC) conference on Wednesday. The two leaders last spoke a year ago, and since then, already fraught ties between the nations have been further strained. The outcome of Wednesdays talks could have far-reaching implications for an anxious world that is grappling with global economic cross-currents from the pandemic, wars in the Middle East and Europe, upcoming elections in Taiwan, and more. Follow live updates.

Biden's Goal for Xi Meeting is to Get US-China Communications Back to Normal

Biden's goal for the meeting with Xi is to get US-China communications back to normal. The two leaders have had a strained relationship in recent years, with tensions rising over issues such as trade, human rights, and Taiwan. Biden is hoping to use the meeting to improve communication and cooperation between the two countries.

San Francisco Hopes to Rid Its Image of a City in Decline as it Hosts APEC

San Francisco is hoping to rid its image of a city in decline as it hosts APEC. The city has been struggling with issues such as homelessness, crime, and drug use. City officials are hoping that hosting APEC will help to showcase the city's strengths and attract new businesses and residents.

A Fragile Global Economy is at Stake as Biden and Xi Meet

A fragile global economy is at stake as Biden and Xi meet. The world is facing a number of economic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and rising inflation. Biden and Xi are hoping to use the meeting to address these challenges and cooperate on economic issues.

Biden and Xi Stress the Need for Mutual Understanding

Biden and Xi are stressing the need for their nations to strengthen mutual understanding while cautioning that their interests will sometimes conflict. The two leaders opened their face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay area with a solid handshake. Later, they sat at one long table together rather than at separate ones.

Biden and Xi Outline Goals for the Meeting

Biden says the aim of the APEC summit is for leaders to "understand each other.” Xi says they bear "heavy responsibilities” for the world. The two leaders made the comments Wednesday after shaking hands in their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.

Biden-Xi Meeting Opens with a Handshake

Biden and Xi have opened their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year with a solid handshake ahead of talks with far-reaching implications for a world grappling with economic cross-currents, wars in the Middle East and Europe, tensions in Taiwan, and more. The two leaders, meeting at a bucolic country estate outside San Francisco, are looking to get communications back on track after a tumultuous year and to show the world that while they are global economic competitors, they’re not locked in a winner-take-all faceoff.

Anti-Xi Protesters March Toward the APEC Site

A large crowd gathered in front of the Chinese consulate to condemn Xi has started marching toward Moscone Center, where main APEC events are being held. They held signs reading "Free Hong Kong” and "Tibet belongs to Tibetans” and chanted "Free Tibet” and "Down with the CCP,” referring to the Chinese Communist Party. They started matching around 11 a.m. Wednesday local time. Speakers implored the Biden administration to stand up to Xi and his human rights violations.

White House Expects Major Announcements from the Xi-Biden Meeting

Ahead of the meeting between Biden and Xi, senior White House officials said Biden would walk away from the talks with major announcements expected on curbing the flow of chemicals used in the production of fentanyl and concrete steps to revive military-to-military communications. One senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview aspects of the meeting, said Wednesdays talks will stand out from the last time Biden and Xi spoke a year ago in Bali. The official said there weren’t concrete agreements coming out of Bali, unlike what is expected on Wednesday. AP RHL