Xi vows to work with Trump team as he meets Biden in Peru

Goal of a stable, healthy China-US relationship remains unchanged, he says

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov 16 vowed to work with the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump as he held his final talks with outgoing President Joe Biden on key conflicts from cybercrime and trade, to Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia.

Mr Biden met Mr Xi for about two hours at a hotel where the Chinese leader was staying, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Lima, Peru, for their first talks in seven months.

"China's goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged" following the US election, Mr Xi said, acknowledging "ups and downs" between the countries. "China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences."

Mr Biden told Mr Xi that the two leaders have not always agreed, but their discussions have been "frank" and "candid."

The talks come two months before Trump assumes office. He has vowed to adopt blanket 60 per cent tariffs on US imports of Chinese goods as part of a package of America First trade measures.

Beijing opposes those steps. The Republican President-elect also plans to put several hawkish voices on China in senior roles, including US Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser.

Mr Biden told Mr Xi that maintaining leader-to-leader talks would be vital even after he leaves office, said US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

The US President has aimed to lower tensions with China, but there were few signs of a breakthrough on the major issues.

But the two leaders did agree that human beings, not artificial intelligence (AI), should make decisions over the use of nuclear weapons, according to the White House, the first time the countries are known to have raised the issue.