The US and China are unable to agree on the format of the possible meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is planned for November in Shenzhen. The Wall Street Journal writes about it, citing sources.
We are talking about a meeting that could take place on the sidelines of the APEC summit on November 18-19, but disagreements over the format and agenda are questionable.
According to the publication, Beijing requires a pre-written scenario in which each of the leaders will read a prepared statement and there will be almost no free discussion left. The Trump administration insists on an open exchange of views.
"For Xi, it's very dangerous and extremely unpredictable," Kurt Campbell, former US First Deputy Secretary of State and chairman of the Asia Group consulting firm, commented on the situation in an interview with the WSJ.
In turn, an unnamed Chinese official told the newspaper that a tripartite format is possible with an agreed agenda and "a predetermined outcome," including on Ukraine, otherwise Beijing would prefer separate bilateral meetings.
China will not participate in the tripartite nuclear arms control talks that Trump talked about. As the newspaper explains, Beijing is afraid of consolidating the gap between its arsenal and that of the Americans and Russians.