A meeting between Trump, Putin and Xi Jinping could fall through due to disagreements between the US and China - WSJ
Kyiv • UNN
The summit in China may not take place due to disputes between the US and the PRC over the format and the nuclear agenda. Beijing demands prior agreements.
A possible meeting between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the APEC summit in November is at risk of falling through due to disagreements between the United States and China over the format of the talks and nuclear weapons issues. The Wall Street Journal reports this, writes UNN.
Details
According to the publication, China insists on a strictly regulated summit, with a pre-prepared statement and minimal opportunities for discussion. The Trump administration, by contrast, wants a freer format that would allow the leaders to exchange views directly.
The meeting could have been held on the sidelines of the APEC summit on November 18–19 in Shenzhen, China. However, disagreements over the agenda and the rules for conducting the meeting have cast doubt on its prospects.
Another stumbling block could be the issue of denuclearization, which Trump wants to raise during the talks. China has a significantly smaller nuclear arsenal than the United States and Russia, but is actively expanding it and has previously been reluctant to participate in arms-control negotiations.
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As the WSJ notes, taking part in such talks on an equal footing with Washington and Moscow could cement Beijing's status as the weaker nuclear power. According to a Chinese official, the PRC will not agree to such a discussion format.
According to the publication, Putin's proposal to hold a trilateral meeting may have been an attempt to take advantage of the warming relations with Trump and, with China's support, advance an end to the war against Ukraine on terms favorable to Russia—without Volodymyr Zelensky's participation.
A Chinese official told the WSJ that Beijing is ready for a trilateral meeting, but only on the condition that the agenda and expected outcomes are agreed upon in advance. If this cannot be arranged, China prefers separate bilateral talks.
Sources close to the leadership of the PRC also claim that Xi Jinping wants to obtain a symbolic effect from the historic meeting—joint photos and statements, but without the risk of unpredictable discussions.