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Biden, Xi to discuss China's support for Russia at upcoming summit in Peru

by Abbey Fenbert November 14, 2024 6:39 AM 2 min read
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Woodside, California on Nov. 15, 2023. Illustrative purposes. (Brendan Smialowski /AFP via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Lima, Peru on Nov. 16, the White House announced Nov. 13.

The summit likely marks the two leaders' final presidential meeting, as Biden will be replaced by President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025.

Ukraine is on the agenda for Biden's talks with Xi, according to the White House.

Biden is expected to voice his "deep concern" regarding China's "support for Russia's war against Ukraine." This extends to North Korea's escalating military involvement, including the deployment of 10,000 troops  who "have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces."

The Pentagon confirmed on Nov. 13 that North Korean soldiers had begun engaging in combat alongside Russian troops in Kursk Oblast. The announcement followed reports that Russia is mustering a force of 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean troops, to launch a counteroffensive against Ukraine in the Kursk region.

"We are increasingly concerned about the consequences for longer-term stability in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific of this deployment," a senior White House official said, regarding Biden's upcoming talks with Xi.

While the U.S. has criticized China's support for Russia, including sanctioning Chinese companies for producing drones used in Russia's war, Biden's status as a lame-duck president weakens his position ahead of the meeting with Xi.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged on Nov. 13 that the outgoing administration would "continue to shore up everything we're doing for Ukraine" and that NATO would issue "a firm response" to North Korea's deployment, but he did not say what the response would entail.

Biden and Xi last met in person on the sidelines of the 2023 APEC Summit in San Francisco, California. Russia's war against Ukraine was one of the key topics during those talks.

Trump calls Putin, Xi ‘smart, tough’ leaders at campaign rally
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are “smart, tough,” leaders who “love their country,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Michigan on July 20.

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