Donald Trump has made a tougher stance toward China central to his pitch on foreign policy, even as Joe Biden and Xi Jinping sought to lower tensions before the next president takes office.

President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Saturday met here for a final time during Biden’s presidency, exchanging pleasantries amid rising tensions and appearing to aim their messages not as much at one another as at someone not in the room: President-elect Donald Trump.

Without mentioning President-elect Donald Trump's name, Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to signal his concern that Trump's protectionist rhetoric on the campaign trail could send the U.S.-China relationship into another valley.