Biden wants to show he’s focused on Asia-Pacific, while dealing with Russia-Ukraine and Mideast wars

President Biden’s visit to the Asia-Pacific region aims to emphasize the United States’ commitment to the region despite facing various global challenges.

The meeting with President Xi Jinping is of enormous importance as it involves the leaders of the world’s two largest economies, and they are trying to find stability in their relations after a difficult year.

President Biden will put forward his economic vision for the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting the U.S. as a driver for sustainable economic growth. He will also discuss efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating further and seek support for the Ukrainian effort against Russia’s invasion.

The White House is expected to unveil new initiatives related to clean economy investments and anti-corruption and taxation policies through its Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) strategy, aimed at countering China’s commercial influence in the region.

Many APEC nations have varying levels of interest in the IPEF strategy, with some wanting to see increased access to U.S. markets. However, the region has seen major trade deals involving other countries, and the U.S. has been cautious about pursuing new comprehensive free-trade agreements.

The White House aims to work towards a strong consensus statement among APEC leaders despite diverging views on these conflicts. President Biden is also expected to discuss the U.S. commitment to countries like the Philippines in the face of territorial disputes with China.

The potential for a government shutdown is looming, with the current spending measure set to expire. A government shutdown would have negative consequences for U.S. standing globally, according to White House officials.