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Exclusive | Donald Trump’s G20 meeting with Xi Jinping in Osaka could again be a formal dinner, source says

  • The two world leaders last met in a similar setting on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in Argentina in December and agreed to a trade war ceasefire
  • Last meeting between the world’s two largest economies took place between Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer on May 10

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump last met in Argentina in December on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Photo: Reuters
Zhou Xin

A widely anticipated meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at the end of this month in Japan could be a formal face-to-face negotiation over dinner instead of a quick handshake and chat, a source who was briefed on the arrangement told the South China Morning Post.

“It would be largely a replay of the summit in Argentina last December,” the source said.

Beijing has not formally confirmed any plans or provided any details of the high-stakes meeting that is widely expected to take place on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28 and 29.

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The US has also not issued any information about the format of the meeting, though Trump has said previously that he is “look[ing] forward” to the face-to-face parley.

The outcome of the meeting, which may take place on June 29, could decide whether tensions between the world’s two largest economies will ease enough to allow for a resumption of negotiations, or whether the US will place tariffs on another US$300 billion worth of Chinese goods, as Trump has threatened.
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