China refuses to hold a tripartite meeting of Xi, Putin and Trump in the format proposed by the United States.
According to the WSJ, China insists that the trilateral summit between China, Russia and the United States be strictly regulated and there will be a minimum of discussion. The United States wants a more open format, so that country leaders have the opportunity to actively exchange views instead of reading pre-prepared monologues.
The paper's sources say the Chinese leader has avoided initiating informal exchanges with counterparts, and the demand for a specific format raises questions about Beijing's readiness for direct interaction.
Trilateral talks are expected to take place at the APEC summit in China on November 18-19.