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.

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, closed the book on their diplomatic relationship Saturday, meeting for a final time amid uncertainty over what the next Donald Trump presidency might portend for their two countries’ ties.