Editorial Notes

Will Xi-Trump meeting put trade negotiations back on track?: China Daily

In its editorial, the paper says that US President Donald Trump may find it more rewarding if he takes advantage of the upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping to resolve differences over trade, between them.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump are expected to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, later this week. PHOTO: AFP

BEIJING (CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - With Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping has "opened up a new era for China-Russia relations".

With Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un, he has "injected new dynamism for China-DPRK relations in a new era".

When Xi meets with his US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, later this week, what new era will they manoeuvre for the world's two largest economies?

Precisely how the planned one-on-one meeting will play out, and what kind of an agreement, if any, may be announced is hard to foretell.

But no doubt the two leaders will try hard to work something out.

Following the latest telephone conversation between the two leaders, this is the least that may be expected.

It would be wonderful if the two countries' negotiating teams could jointly submit specific deliverables to denote shared intent.

But for such a meeting at such a point, course-setting is probably more important than any specifics.

Under this US administration, China and the United States have been officially defined as "strategic competitors".

But that does not mean the present tit-for-tat tariffs, which obviously spills from trade into other aspects of the relationship, is the sole option for the two.

Of course, not everyone in Washington buys Beijing's remarks - be they about trade or Chinese strategic purposes at large.

But that does not mean the countries have to confront each other.

The danger of the current trade standoff hijacking and poisoning overall bilateral ties is no longer a potential, but an unfolding reality.

Should the ongoing escalation and spillover be allowed to continue, a freezing of relations might be the least of the anticipated worst-case scenarios.

Not a few who call the shots in Washington swear by "maximum pressure".

So, just as negotiators on both sides prepare for a new round of talks, the US Department of Commerce has added more Chinese enterprises and institutions to its national security "entity list" that bars them from buying US parts and components without government approval.

Yet "maximum pressure" has proved invalid in getting Pyongyang and Tehran to bow to Washington's will, so why is it expected to work on Beijing?

China's enormous home market, tremendous regional development imbalance, not to mention its economic resilience and public endurance and unique approach to governance, are only some of the factors that offset external pressures.

If he can call off a reportedly imminent strike on Iran in the last minute, if he can display unusual patience with Pyongyang after less than fruitful talks, the US President may find it more rewarding if he takes advantage of the upcoming meeting with Xi and puts trade negotiations back on track.

China Daily is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 news media organisations.

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