Donald Trump hints at Xi Jinping visit to Washington amid trade tensions
US President Donald Trump has suggested that his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, will visit Washington in the “not too distant future,” as speculation mounts over a potential summit between the two leaders.
The remark comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies, which have been locked in a cycle of tit-for-tat tariffs.
Trump hints at meeting with Xi
Trump made the comment on Monday (March 17) while discussing urban beautification efforts in the US capital, describing Washington’s highways as “old and bad.” He argued that the city should be cleaned up ahead of Xi’s potential arrival, particularly by addressing homelessness and graffiti.
“Here it’s really bad[…]and it looks terrible,” Trump said.
Reports earlier this month suggested that Trump could visit China as soon as April, although no official dates have been confirmed.
According to the South China Morning Post, Trump had hoped to host Xi at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where they previously met in 2017. However, Beijing is believed to prefer a more formal diplomatic setting, either in Washington or by inviting Trump to China.
The Wall Street Journal has also reported that officials from both sides have discussed a possible “birthday summit” in June, the birth month of both leaders.
Despite Trump’s past assertions that he and Xi “got along very well” during his first term, relations between the US and China soured amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/amid-us-china-trade-tensions-trump-says-xi-to-visit-washington-in-not-too-distant-future-13872293.html.
