APEC Summit is an intergovernmental gathering of heads of states or governments of 21 member economies in the Pacific region/rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region since its establishment in 1989. APEC Summit in 2023 is taking place in San Francisco between 15-17 November 2023 and it appears that the meeting of two Presidents of the two largest economies in the globe overshadows the importance of APEC Summit.

US President Biden seeks to repair ties with China as USA and Biden mostly deal with the ongoing war in Ukraine, Gaza and the upcoming Presidential elections of 2024 in USA. Stability and mutual trust between two superpowers seem crucial to overcome the difficulties of a multipolar world in which we have already seen two major conflicts and tensions in the last three years  crises in Ukraine and Gaza.

Although USA and China are portrayed as rivals and enemies, both sides need each other’s cooperation and collaboration in a multipolar world. Both sides seem to have different priorities. Washington is mostly concerned with the crisis in Ukraine and alignment of China in the context of this war, and also with the China’s relations with Iran, since Iran is seen as a rogue state in the Middle East against US power and influence. On the other hand, Beijing has different priorities and concerns. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that Xi will urge Biden to “respect China’s concerns and legitimate right to development, rather than emphasizing its own concerns at the expense of China’s”.