China goes on diplomatic offensive ahead of Trump 2.0

Xi uses Apec and G-20 summits to foster better ties with other major countries

- Lim Min Zhang

In Rio de Janeiro on Nov 18, world leaders who huddled for a Group of 20 summit group photo included Chinese President Xi Jinping and host Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, both of whom were in the front row.

Conspicuously missing was US President Joe Biden - in his last major diplomatic trip before stepping down in January - who showed up late due to "logistical issues", as a senior administration official later told reporters.

The "family photo" was retaken a day after, with Mr Biden included.

While whether Mr Biden's initial absence was a sign of the US' waning global influence was up to debate, what became clear was Mr Xi's determination to use the week-long events in Brazil and Peru, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, to shore up China's relations with key partners.

In 2023, Mr Xi had skipped the September G-20 summit held in New Delhi, with Premier Li Qiang attending instead. Mr Xi went to San Francisco in November for the Apec and US-China summits.

This time, as China readies itself for a more turbulent second Trump presidency, Mr Xi has clocked at least 15 top-level bilateral meetings with his counterparts, including those from Japan, Germany and Singapore, since he arrived in Lima on Nov 15.

In the light of the incoming Trump administration, widely expected to be tougher on China, China politics expert Scott Kennedy from the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said he believes Beijing would push for a "much more assertive outreach" with other countries.

"China might actually put more substance behind this outreach, in terms of market access, industrial policy, its position on various security and diplomatic issues, and see if they can peel away countries from a tighter relationship with the US," he said in Beijing recently.