JOE BIDEN, WAGING MORE OF HIS PATENTED PERSONAL DIPLOMACY: Indo-Pacific trade pillar stumbles, US faces setback in countering China. “President Biden and leaders from 13 nations, including a meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, signed agreements focusing on communication and cooperation. Still, the contentious trade negotiations have raised concerns among Asia-Pacific allies, fearing a repetition of the Trans-Pacific Partnership’s fate. The situation underlines challenges for the Biden administration, especially as China actively expands its trade agreements in the region, potentially influencing US allies’ economic preferences.”