Biden and Xi Meet as U.S.-China Relationship Faces New Uncertainty

President Biden met with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, on Saturday in Peru, closing a chapter in relations between the rival superpowers as Donald J.Trump has promised to take a more aggressive approach to Beijing when he becomes president again in January.Mr.

Biden’s session with Mr.Xi, during a gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, was most likely his last chance to challenge Mr.

Xi directly after four years in which he sought to compete with China but avoid open conflict.“The United States has recently concluded its elections,” Mr.Xi told Mr.

Biden as the two began their meeting at a hotel in Lima where the Chinese delegation was staying.“China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S.

relationship remains unchanged.”The White House has pointed to its shuttle diplomacy and efforts to open lines of communication as important steps in avoiding a spiral in relations.But as Mr.

Biden — and his vision for the world — heads for the exits, China’s recent actions suggest that it has little interest in placating Washington.American officials have expressed alarm over China’s increasingly close relationship with the Russian president, Vladimir V.Putin.

Chinese hackers were recently accused of breaking into the American telecommunications system and obtaining information from the phones of U.S.officials.Beijing has also continued to flex its muscle in Asia, with U.S.

officials voicing growing concern about China’s military exercises around Taiwan and its broader aggression in the contested South China Sea.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....