Chinese leader arrives for first faceto-face with Trump
President Donald Trump opens a highstakes summit Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the urgent threat of North Korea's nuclear ambitions and tensions over trade on the agenda for the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest economies.
The leaders arrived in South Florida separately Thursday afternoon for the summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, a location the White House said was selected to give the two days of discussions a more relaxed feel.
Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One on his way to the summit, saying he thinks China will "want to be stepping up" in trying to deter North Korea's nuclear ambitions. While Trump would not say what he wants China to do specifically with regard to North Korea, he suggested there was a link between "terrible" trade agreements the U.S. has made with China and Pyongyang's provocations. He says the two issues "really do mix."
The president has said that if China doesn't exert more pressure on North Korea, the U.S. will act alone.
Both as a candidate and president, Trump has taken an aggressive posture toward China, labeling Beijing a "tremendous problem" and arguing that lopsided trade deals with China shortchange American businesses and workers. Last week, the president predicted in a tweet that his meeting with Xi would be "very difficult."
Xi landed in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was greeted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump arrived on Air Force One, exiting the plane with his wife, Melania. Trump and Xi, joined by their wives, were slated to attend a welcome dinner Thursday night, followed by policy discussions on Friday.
The White House has downplayed expectations for a breakthrough on issues like trade and tariffs, insisting that the 24-hour summit is mostly an introductory meeting for the two leaders. And within Trump's administration, there are still divisions over how to approach China.
According to U.S. and foreign officials, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and economic adviser Gary Cohn are leading the charge for boosting ties and exploring the potential for greater economic co-operation. But economic adviser Peter Navarro, author of the book "Death by China: Confronting the Dragon — a Global Call to Action," prefers trying to isolate China, in keeping with Trump's "America First" mantra.