By Salma El-Sakka
China has confirmed for the first time that it is discussing a historic meeting between President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, set to take place this month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen.
Beijing Hosts APEC Summit
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press briefing this week that Beijing “is in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state.” The APEC leaders’ summit, a 21-member grouping that includes the United States and Russia, is being hosted by China this year.
Trade Tensions Persist
Trump is expected to travel to Shenzhen for his third meeting with Xi this year, aiming to maintain a fragile trade truce due to expire in January. On Friday, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to take “concrete actions to fully implement its past commitments, particularly as they relate to agricultural purchases, rare earths, and critical minerals.” China’s official Xinhua news agency reported both sides held in-depth and constructive exchanges, while Beijing expressed concerns about Washington’s restrictive economic and trade measures.
Divergent Agendas
Trump has said he would be interested in discussing nuclear arms controls with Xi and Putin, though Putin is focused on the war in Ukraine without Kyiv at the table. Former senior State Department official Danny Russel said Russia has the most to gain from a trilateral leaders’ meeting, calling it a potential diplomatic coup, while Trump’s “crush on authoritarian strongmen” would make him welcome the gathering.
Experts Warn of Photo Op
Analysts say the three leaders are unlikely to discuss anything substantive because their interests are at odds. Sun Yun of the Stimson Centre said China wants the image but not the costs, and will have to manage Russian manipulation. Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies said the meeting may amount to no more than a photo opportunity with diminishing diplomatic returns.
