Biden Relegated to Back Row in APEC Photo as Xi Receives Front-Row Honour

U.S. President Joe Biden faced a diplomatic slight at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he was positioned in the back row during the annual family photo. In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping stood prominently beside Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, reflecting China’s growing regional influence.

Lame-duck President Biden was relegated to the back corner of the APEC conference’s annual family photo. REUTERS

The photo session, a tradition at APEC gatherings, is arranged alphabetically by country. However, past summits have shown some flexibility, with former President Donald Trump occupying central positions during his 2017 appearance at the event. Biden, 81, arrived last and took his place alongside leaders from Thailand and Vietnam in the back row.

Biden (top, second right) and other leaders participate in a family photo during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Retreat summit in Lima, Peru, November 16, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

The optics come ahead of a critical meeting between Biden and Xi on Saturday afternoon, marking their final interaction during Biden’s presidency. Xi’s high-profile presence at the summit follows China’s financial support for a significant new port on Peru’s coastline, which has bolstered his reception at the event.

The contrast in reception for the two leaders has been stark. Xi was welcomed with grandeur, while Biden received a comparatively subdued greeting upon his arrival on Thursday. This trip has included additional challenges for the U.S. president, underscoring his reduced international influence.

Biden, accompanied by his daughter Ashley and granddaughter Natalie, will leave Peru on Sunday for Brazil. He plans to tour the Amazon rainforest before attending the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

It’s unclear why exactly Biden was put in the back row of the photo. AFP via Getty Images

During his meeting with Xi, Biden is expected to emphasise progress in “responsibly” managing U.S.-China relations. He also plans to highlight a decline in fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S., crediting restrictions on exports of the synthetic opioid from China.

Fentanyl, a significant contributor to the U.S. opioid crisis, has claimed over 223,000 American lives during Biden’s presidency. Republicans have criticised Biden for what they see as a delayed response to the situation and have accused him of being overly lenient with China.

Meanwhile, Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who will return to office in January, has signalled a starkly different approach to China. Trump, 78, has pledged to renew a trade war to secure favourable terms for American businesses and has proposed holding a global reparations conference to address the origins of COVID-19.

Trump has suggested China should pay trillions in damages for the pandemic, citing U.S. government investigations, including from the FBI, that support the theory of a lab leak from Wuhan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was given a prime spot front and center (second from left). REUTERS

Biden’s presidency has faced scrutiny over his China policies, with Republicans pointing to financial dealings involving his brother, James Biden and son, Hunter Biden, as evidence of a conflict of interest. These allegations have fuelled partisan debates over whether Biden has been too lenient on Beijing during his tenure.

As Biden’s time in office winds down, the APEC summit underscores the complexities of U.S.-China relations and the shifting dynamics of global leadership. The symbolic setbacks in Lima may preview the challenges awaiting his successor on the international stage.