Exclusive | US China hawk Peter Navarro back on guest list for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s trade war dinner
- Navarro, the controversial White House trade adviser, is now expected to attend crucial meeting, details of which remain shrouded in secrecy
- Beijing has long been concerned that Navarro, a China hawk for decades, is more interested in containing the country than solving trade disagreements
Controversial White House trade policy adviser and prominent China hawk Peter Navarro will attend a crucial dinner meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires on Saturday, after he was initially left off the guest list.
The South China Morning Post reported last week that Navarro, whose presence may complicate attempts to resolve the trade war amicably, would not attend the dinner. But a source who has been briefed on the latest arrangements for the meeting said Navarro would now be part of the Trump team in Buenos Aires.
The inclusion of Navarro could add to the uncertainty surrounding the meeting, the first between Trump and Xi since the trade war broke out, diplomatic observers said.
Navarro, author of Death by China: Confronting the Dragon – A Global Call to Action, is viewed by Beijing as being an impediment to resolving the trade war to its satisfaction.
A staunch advocate for the president’s get-tough approach with China, he clashed publicly with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin – who favours a compromise with Beijing over trade – when the two were in China for talks in May.
“Navarro is not good from China’s perspective. He is too tough and not sincere about solving problems. His intention is to contain China,” the source said.