Meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump would play ‘key role’ in easing tensions
Chinese ambassador to US Cui Tiankai is optimistic about a potential summit between the two leaders, but analysts do not expect a trade war breakthrough
China’s top US envoy said a meeting between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on the sidelines of next month’s G20 summit would play a “key, irreplaceable role” in easing tensions. But analysts were not optimistic about a breakthrough being reached on the trade war.
In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai said it was “so clear that such top-level communication [plays] a key role, irreplaceable role, in guiding the relationship forward”.
Over the weekend, Trump’s top economic officials gave mixed signals over whether the two leaders would meet during the G20 gathering in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the end of November. Trump, meanwhile, threatened to impose another round of tariffs on China in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS, which also aired on Sunday.
“I was very honoured to be present at the meetings between the two presidents, both at Mar-a-Lago in April last year, and in Beijing last November,” Cui said in the Fox News interview taped on Friday. “There’s a good mutual understanding and good working relationship between the two. I hope and I’m sure this will continue.”
Xi and Trump’s meeting, if it happens, would be the first direct talks between the two leaders since a trade war between the world’s two largest economies began in July.