US prez predicts ‘tough’ summit with China’s Xi

President Donald Trump on Friday predicted that his first summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week would be a "very difficult" one as the US can no longer afford job losses and massive trade deficits with the Communist trading giant.

Given that the United States has a massive trade deficit with China, American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives, Trump tweeted ahead of his meeting with Xi at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on April 6 and 7.

This would be the first meeting between the two leaders in what many argue is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. "The meeting next week with China will be a very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits and job losses," Trump said.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that Trump looks forward to meeting President Xi and exchanging views on each other's respective priorities and to chart a way forward for bilateral ties. "They will discuss the issues of mutual concern, including North Korea, trade, and regional security," he said.

Trump has said in recent weeks that North Korea is one of the biggest security challenges he faces as president and has called on China to rein in Pyongyang, which US officials believe is preparing for another nuclear test.

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea and China's continued building of manmade islands are also likely to be raised.