Xi’s warning to Biden contains message for Trump: don’t seek regime change in China

Analysts say Chinese leader’s stern words about ‘red lines’ are meant for US president-elect, who is assembling cabinet of China hawks

Reading Time:4 minutes

US President Joe Biden (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00pm, 19 Nov 2024

During their meeting over the weekend, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a stern warning to US President Joe Biden, widely perceived to be intended for Donald Trump’s incoming administration. The underlying message was loud and clear: do not try to seek regime change in China.

Xi outlined Beijing’s core stance, expectations and “guardrails” the Chinese leadership has mapped out for relations between the two powers during talks with the lame-duck American leader in Lima, Peru’s capital city, on Saturday.

He said that “democracy and human rights” and “China’s path and system” were two of the “red lines” that “must not be challenged”.

Pundits said the message was meant for someone not in the room, US president-elect Donald Trump, who has been assembling a national security team full of China hawks.

“Xi sent a clear message to Donald Trump and his team that Trump must avoid any moves to … push China towards democracy [or] undermine the Communist Party’s grip on power,” said Deng Yuwen, former deputy editor of Study Times, the newspaper of the cadre-training Central Party School.

He said the Chinese leader was warning that Beijing would retaliate if the US touched those areas, while also setting an agenda for the future of Chinese-American relations.