Biden, Xi to Hold Summit Meeting in Peru; Xi also Likely to Meet Ishiba in Rio de Janeiro

By Akiko Yoshinaga / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

13:18 JST, November 9, 2024

BEIJING — U.S. President Joe Biden and the Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely hold a summit meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru on Nov. 15 and 16, according to sources familiar with U.S.-China relations.

Washington and Beijing had been coordinating to realize the summit meeting, with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meeting in August with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

According to a source familiar with the inner workings of the Chinese government, the summit has already been approved at a meeting of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biden and Xi have known each other for more than 10 years. In 2011, then Chinese Vice President Xi accompanied then U.S. Vice President Biden when he visited Chengdu in Sichuan Province.

Xi’s upcoming meeting with the retiring U.S. president will be mostly ceremonial, according to the sources familiar with U.S.-China relations.

Xi will visit Peru and Brazil from Nov. 13 to 21 and attend the Group of 20 major economies summit scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19 in Rio de Janeiro, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday.

During the trip, Xi is also likely to hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Ishiba has already expressed his intention to meet with Xi.

If the meeting is realized, the two leaders will confirm their nations’ intention to promote a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests” and will cooperate to expand the countries’ shared interests.