Trump meets Xi for high-stakes talks
UNITED STATES: After greeting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the airport, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US side would press the Chinese delegation to ‘‘find ways to exercise influence on North Korea’s actions to dismantle their nuclear weapons and their missile technology programme.’’
‘‘China can be part of a new strategy to end North Korea’s reckless behaviour and ensure security, stability and economic prosperity in Northeast Asia,’’ Tillerson added.
Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, greeted Xi with a handshake as the Chinese leader and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived at the resort for a series of bilateral talks, and a fancy opening night dinner with Trump and his top aides.
Trump arrived aboard Air Force One shortly after Xi. While flying, Trump told reporters on the plane that he believes ‘‘China will be stepping up’’ to deal more firmly with Pyongyang.
On trade, Trump reiterated his long-standing grievance over a large US trade deficit to China. ’’We have been treated unfairly and have made terrible trade deals with China for many, many years. That’s one of the things we are going to be talking about.’’
The unorthodox location of the summit is intended to lessen the formality of the first meeting between the two leaders, White House aides said, and help establish a working relationship, if not rapport, between Trump and Xi after moments of tension during the US election season.
Xi will spend just over 24 hours there, officials said. Xi and the Chinese delegation will not stay overnight at the resort but rather at a nearby hotel. The lush trappings of the president’s personal property will not mask the seriousness and urgency of the long list of topics that will be discussed.
Trump has offered conflicting signals about his state of mind heading into the summit. He told business leaders in Washington this week that he had a ‘‘lot of respect’’ for Xi, but last week on Twitter he predicted the meeting would be a ‘‘very difficult one’’ because of the US trade deficit with China.
Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times last weekend, that he would exhort Xi to put more pressure on Pyongyang to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile testing, which has violated UN Security Council resolutions. But he added that if Beijing failed to act the United States would consider unilateral responses. - Washington Post
A lawsuit filed yesterday accuses Seattle Mayor Ed Murray of sexually molesting a teenage high-school dropout in the 1980s, and in interviews with The Seattle Times, two other men claim he abused them. The mayor denied the allegations through his spokesman Jeff Reading. ‘‘These false accusations are intended to damage a prominent elected official who has been a defender of vulnerable populations for decades. It is not a coincidence that this shakedown effort comes within weeks of the campaign filing deadline. These unsubstantiated assertions, dating back three decades, are categorically false.’’ Murray was elected mayor in 2013 after a long career in the Legislature, where he led efforts to legalise gay marriage in the state.