Xi Jinping bids Joe Biden farewell at APEC

On Saturday, Xi Jinping met with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru.

Some context: The pair share a long history, dating back to when they served as their respective countries’ vice presidents.

• During their overlapping terms as president, Xi and Biden guided China-US relations through ups (like last year’s productive San Francisco meeting) and downs (basically everything else).

Xi told Biden that the two of them had stabilized China-US ties and brought “dialogue and cooperation back on track” (MoFA):

• “More than 20 communication mechanisms have been restarted or established, and positive achievements have been made in such areas as diplomacy, security, economy, [and] trade.”

Xi offered Biden some parting thoughts, saying the US:

• Shouldn’t seek to contain China or challenge China’s red lines on Taiwan, democracy and human rights issues, its governance system, and its development path
• Should match its words and actions and treat China as an equal

He also said “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged."

And check this: The two reached an agreement on “the need to maintain human [rather than AI] control over the decision to use nuclear weapons.” (White House)

Get smart: Biden’s approach to China was tough yet largely predictable, with guardrails in place on critical issues.

• In contrast, under Trump 2.0, Beijing will need to brace for the unexpected.

Get smarter: Xi and co. are already gearing up for a turbulent new phase in China-US relations.