Xi tells Biden Beijing aims for 'smooth transition' in China-US ties

LIMA, Peru — China will "strive for a smooth transition" in relations with the United States and is ready to work with Donald Trump's new administration, President Xi Jinping told his counterpart Joe Biden on Saturday in their talks in Lima.

The meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit comes two months before Trump takes office in January, amid concerns of new trade wars and diplomatic upheaval.

"China is ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, so as to strive for a smooth transition of the China-US relationship," Xi told Biden through a translator.

In his first White House term, Trump engaged in a bruising trade war with China, imposing tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese products and seeing retaliation from Beijing. He embraced a similar stance on the campaign trail this year.

Both countries should "keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other," Xi said.

Xi warned Saturday that ties between both countries could "encounter twists and turns or even regress" if one side regarded the other as an opponent or enemy, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

"Major country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times," Xi added, urging a "small yard, high fences" approach.

But he stressed that Beijing's position of "firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests has not changed," according to Xinhua.

Also in attendance at the talks were US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, among other officials.

The Chinese delegation included Cai Qi, a top-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.