Biden's meeting with Xi during Latin America summits overshadowed by Trump's looming presence.
One analyst says that Biden is playing a weaker hand that has become even weaker.
Biden is traveling to Latin America for a farewell tour to attend the APEC summit in Peru and the G-20 summit in Brazil.
Ariel González Levaggi, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that the Biden administration has limited control over the future plans of these institutions, as reported by Planet Chronicle Digital.
Biden's G-20 summits will be less politically relevant due to the change of power, limiting his ability to make commitments.
The president's first stop is in Lima, Peru, where he will meet world leaders at the APEC summit, placing a heavy focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Biden's next stop on Sunday will be in Brazil's capital, Rio de Janeiro, where he will meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the margins of the G-20 summit.
Biden is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit on Saturday, as China has expanded its economic footprint in Latin America, particularly in APEC host Peru. The opening of the new Peruvian megaport of Chancay, financed by China to the tune of over $1 billion, symbolizes China's growing investment and influence in Latin America.
Between 2000 and 2020, the trade relationship between China and Latin America grew significantly, from $12 billion to $315 billion. By 2035, this two-way trade is predicted to double, reaching over $700 billion, according to the World Economic Forum.
Biden's upcoming visits to APEC and the G-20, which may be his final international engagements in his 50-year political career, will take place under the shadow of former President Trump's election victory and his return to the White House. The summits will concentrate on trade, security, and global alliances, but it is unlikely that any concrete outcomes will be achieved at the end of each.
According to retired Rear Admiral and Senior Fellow at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Mark Montgomery, Biden is playing a weak hand that has become even weaker.
Biden must deal with both Trump's victory and Xi's rise in Latin America, particularly considering China's dominant economic partnership role in the region.
Some leaders will have to contend with a more aggressive U.S. posture, including in the economic realm and international trade as Trump prepares for his second term.
According to Derek Scissors, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, China and the EU should anticipate higher U.S. tariffs in 2025. He added that these tariffs could give Trump an advantage in his re-election bid.
It is likely that China and other G-20 members will prepare for a revival of Trump's "America First" policy, with a focus on increased tariffs. In his first term, Trump initiated a trade war with China by imposing tariffs of up to 25% on steel, aluminum, and other Chinese-made products. In response, China imposed reciprocal tariffs on US imports. While running for president, Trump pledged to increase tariffs on Chinese imports to as much as 60%, although it remains uncertain if he would actually follow through with this promise.
A second Trump administration may not exclude traditional U.S. allies from a tariff policy, with some countries facing a potential 20% increase in tariffs.
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