President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 16, 2024, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru. This will mark their third in-person meeting since Biden took office, following previous discussions at the APEC summit in California last year and the G20 summit in Bali in 2022.

The upcoming talks are significant as they occur just over two months before Donald Trump is set to return to the White House. Trump's anticipated presidency raises concerns about a potential shift towards a more confrontational U.S.-China relationship, particularly given his promises of imposing tariffs on Chinese imports. The Biden administration has been preparing for this meeting, aiming to address various pressing issues including military communications, cybersecurity, and China's support for Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Biden's agenda for the meeting is expected to include discussions on:

Resuming and maintaining open lines of communication military-to-military communications between U.S. and Chinese military officials

Addressing the flow of Chinese-manufactured Fentanyl and other chemicals contributing to the opioid crisis in the U.S

Raising concerns about cyber-attacks targeting U.S. infrastructure by Chinese entities

Expressing ongoing concerns regarding China's trade policies and practices perceived as unfair to American workers

The backdrop of this summit highlights a growing influence of China in Latin America, exemplified by Xi's inauguration of a $1.3 billion port project in Peru, part of a broader investment strategy that may exceed $3.5 billion over the next decade. This situation underscores the competitive dynamics between the U.S. and China as both nations vie for influence in the region.

As Biden prepares for this critical meeting, analysts suggest it may serve as a final opportunity to stabilize relations before Trump's administration potentially alters the course of U.S.-China interactions significantly.