Xi-Biden summit hit pause on troubled US-China relations, delivering some modest deals: analysts

Improved military-to-military dialogue, coordination on fentanyl and meeting of minds on AI singled out as noteworthy takeaways from Apec discussion

But both leaders’ domestic political challenges could undo progress given deep bilateral differences and tenuous trust, analysts say

Reading Time:5 minutes

US President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at San Francisco International Airport on Friday after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:01am, 18 Nov 2023Updated: 8:27am, 18 Nov 2023

This week’s meeting between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden met the very low expectations that both sides telegraphed well in advance, effectively hitting the pause button on deteriorating bilateral relations and delivering a few modest agreements.

But the problems are too entrenched, the trust too tenuous and the political calendar too fraught by coming elections in Taiwan and the US to achieve the fundamental reset that global leaders and chief executives want.

“Neither side was willing to negotiate on major concessions,” said Kurt Tong, a former US consul general in Hong Kong now with The Asia Group, a business consultancy.

“We have at least six months from where we are now to stabilise the competitive relationship,” Tong said. “But then the US election starts to heat up, with the Taiwan government transition coming in the summer.”

The bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco – the most important meeting between any two leaders this year – saw Biden and Xi walking a similarly difficult line.

Both were eager to slash the odds that a US-China crisis would distract from their domestic concerns, even as the two were keen to ensure they did not appear weak in the eyes of hardliners back home.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x