Trade, North Korea likely to be key issues in Trump-Xi Mar-a-Lago talks
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will discuss North Korea, trade, human rights and a whole host of other issues at their upcoming meetings. US officials are saying that the two leaders will also try and build a “personal rapport” to take forward a relationship often described as “complicated and difficult”.
Trump, who expects the meetings to be difficult, will be under pressure to raise the issue of trade deficit — of $347 billion — with China, and yet seek its cooperation on issues like North Korea demanding urgent attention.
And Xi will face an unpredictable interlocutor who seems intent on triggering a trade war and has appeared prepared to re-evaluate the relationship completely, even the one-China policy that Beijing considers a core principal and thus is non-negotiable.
“The two presidents want to get to know one another; this will be their first meeting,” US state department official Susan Thornton said, previewing the summit for reporters on Wednesday, adding, “They want to build a type of personal rapport and working relationship they will be able to count on in times of opportunity and also in times of crisis.”
But while they get acquainted, the two will be expected to deal expediently with North Korea, whose continued missile tests — 10 in 12 months so far, including one on Tuesday — has been a constant source of irritation for the US and has led to officials saying it needs urgent attention.