President Biden is in Latin America on a farewell trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru and the G20 summit in Brazil.
Ariel Gonzalez Levazzi, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital that the Biden administration can do little about the future challenges of these institutions.
Levaggi said much of what Biden emphasizes at these summits will not be on the incoming Trump administration's agenda. A change of government would make the G20 “less politically relevant” and limit Biden's ability to deliver on any promises.
The president's first stop will be Lima, Peru, where he will meet with world leaders at the APEC summit, which will focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Biden's next stop on Sunday is the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro, where he is scheduled to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
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President Biden (right) meets with President-elect Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Biden is also expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Saturday's APEC summit, as China expands its economic influence in Latin America, particularly in APEC host Peru. Xi, together with Peruvian President Dina Bolarte, watched the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony for Peru's new mega-port Chancay, a project funded by China with more than $1 billion. The symbolism of this megaport highlights China's growing investment and influence in Latin America.
China has become South America's largest trading partner, and trade between China and Latin America increased significantly from 2000 to 2020, increasing from $12 billion to $315 billion. Two-way trade is expected to double by 2035, reaching more than $700 billion, according to World Economic Forum statistics.
President Biden walks and shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Filoli residence on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting on November 15, 2023 in Woodside, California. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
Biden's trip to APEC and the G20, which will likely be his last appearance on the international stage in his 50-year political career, will take place in the shadow of former President Donald Trump's election victory and return to the White House. The summits will focus on trade, security and global alliances, but it is unlikely that any results will be achieved at the end of each.
“Biden is playing a weak hand that has only gotten weaker,” Mark Montgomery, a former rear admiral and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
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“Biden will have to contend not only with President Trump's victory, but also with Chinese President Xi's dominance in Latin America, especially given China's overwhelming role as an economic partner,” Montgomery added.
As President Trump prepares for a second term, some leaders will have to contend with a more aggressive posture from the United States in areas such as the economy and international trade.
“China and the EU should expect U.S. tariff increases in 2025,” Derek Scissors, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Fox News Digital. He also said the tariffs could have an impact on Trump's second term.
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China and other G20 members are likely to focus on raising tariffs and prepare for a reboot of President Trump's “America First” policy. President Trump famously launched a trade war with China during his first term in 2018, raising tariffs of up to 25% on steel, aluminum and other Chinese products. China has responded with reciprocal tariffs against the United States, and while Trump promised to raise tariffs on Chinese imports by up to 60% while running for president, it is unclear whether he will actually raise them that much.
Leaders from the United States, China, Brazil and other countries in Asia and the Americas are gathering for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in Lima, Peru. (Manuel Orbegoso/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Traditional U.S. allies also may not be exempt from the Trump administration's second round of tariffs, with some countries potentially facing tariff increases of up to 20%.
