Following his meeting with United States (US) President Joe Biden on November 16, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with leaders of many countries within the scope of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Xi Jinping held individual meetings with the leaders of Mexico, Peru, Fiji, Japan, and Brunei.[1]
At the meeting with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Xi Jinping stated that the two countries should strengthen economic and trade cooperation and reiterated that his country would support Peru, which will host the APEC Leaders Summit next year. In particular, Xi Jinping has said that his country is willing to import more “quality” agricultural products from the South American country and will encourage Chinese companies to participate in essential projects in Peru.[2]
Xi Jinping held his previous meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and praised his leadership and reform efforts. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders. During the meeting, the parties decided to deepen cooperation on anti-drug efforts. China and the USA announced on November 15, 2023, that the two countries will work together in the fight against drugs.[3]
Xi Jinping stated that the two countries should cooperate in sectors such as infrastructure, finance, and electric vehicles; López Obrador said that his country will facilitate businesses that want to invest in China. The Mexican leader also stated that his country is willing to cooperate with China on multilateral issues and promote relations between China and Latin America.[4]
In recent years, many Chinese businesses have moved their production to Mexico due to tariffs and other restrictions from the American government. Xi Jinping said that his country had made urgent arrangements for Mexico to provide emergency aid supplies. The Chinese leader also met with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. Xi Jinping stated that Beijing sees Fiji as “a good friend and a good partner in the Southern Globe.” The Chinese President also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.[5]
In his opening statement, Fumio Kishida said that China and Japan “share a common responsibility for contributing to the peace and prosperity of the world.” On the other hand, Xi Jinping stated that the parties should handle differences properly and focus on common interests. In addition, Xi Jinping described Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as an “old friend” and stated that China would work with Brunei. Xi Jinping held a four-hour meeting with his US counterpart, Joe Biden, on November 15, 2023, and this was the first face-to-face meeting after a year.[6]
Xi Jinping has emphasized economic and trade cooperation in his meetings with regional leaders. Particularly in the meeting with Peru, China’s support for the APEC leaders’ summit and its commitment to increase imports of agricultural products are noteworthy. This shows how China’s economic influence is used at the regional level.
Xi Jinping has emphasized cooperation with different countries on various issues. Deepening cooperation with Mexico in the fight against drugs demonstrates China’s diversified interests in regional issues. Emphasizing the common responsibility for peace and prosperity in the meeting with Japan reveals China’s political goals in the region.
In Xi Jinping’s meeting with the Mexican President, China’s desire to increase its investments in Latin America was stated. In addition, the interest of Chinese companies in production activities in Mexico is essential for global supply chains and trade balances.
The diplomatic language used by Xi Jinping in his meetings with leaders demonstrates China’s soft power strategy in regional relations. The phrases “a good friend and partner” and “old friend” reflect China’s effort to use a friendly tone in its relations with regional leaders.
Xi Jinping’s regional contacts before and after his meeting with US President Joe Biden are essential in understanding the complexity of China-US relations and China’s regional policy strategies. This has revealed that China not only aims to compete with the USA but also pursues a global strategy.
[1] “China’s Xi is Courting Indo-Pacific Leaders in a Flurry of Talks at a Summit in San Francisco”, Associated Press News, https://apnews.com/article/xi-apec-mexico-peru-fiji-china-da6e436f75c0dd589db742a1938b6919, (Date of Access: 17.11.2023).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
