Biden Excludes Hong Kong's Leader from Economic Summit, Testing Xi

The White House has decided to bar Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee from attending the annual summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders in the United States this fall, in a move that tests President Biden's efforts to reset relations with China. Lee, along with 10 other Hong Kong and Chinese officials, was sanctioned by the US in 2020 for implementing a national security law that targeted pro-democracy leaders. The snub by the US could potentially lead to Chinese leader Xi Jinping skipping the APEC summit, although some analysts believe he will still attend to project leadership and restore global investor confidence. The sanctions on Lee do not prevent Hong Kong's participation in APEC, allowing for another senior representative to attend instead.