"High Stakes: China's Xi and Biden Prepare for Crucial San Francisco Meeting"

Chinese President Xi Jinping, facing his most challenging moment in power, is eager to engage with US President Biden during their meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Xi needs to demonstrate his leadership and manage China's most important relationship amid tensions that have escalated to their worst point since the normalization of US-China ties in 1979. Xi's position has been weakened by street protests, economic challenges, declining confidence in the Chinese economy, and declining foreign investment. The external environment has worsened with rising tensions between the US and China, including the risk of military confrontation. Xi's control has also been questioned, with unexplained absences and purges of officials. Improved ties with the US would give Xi more space to address domestic problems, but fundamental differences remain, and vulnerability could lead to a harder line from Xi.