The two presidents could meet in Buenos Aires during the Group of 20 leaders’ summit at the end of November, as relations grow strained over trade, the South China Sea and Taiwan issues
President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump plan to meet in Buenos Aires during the Group of 20 leaders’ summit at the end of November, amid rising tensions between the countries over trade, South China Sea and Taiwan issues.
The Trump administration has informed Beijing of its decision to go ahead with the meeting in recent days, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. China has been hoping such a meeting could provide an opportunity for both sides to try to ease the escalating trade tensions.
The meeting – expected to take place at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires at the end of November, according to the Journal report – has been pushed by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, who are worried about market reaction to the trade fight.
Since the trade war began about two months ago, Washington has imposed tariffs on US$250 billion of Chinese imports, about half of what China sends the US.
Citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter, the Journal said Trump has dedicated a team to plan for his summit with Xi. One of the people involved in the planning is Christopher Nixon Cox, grandson of former US President Richard Nixon, whose 1972 trip to China eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations.
