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Trump, Xi meeting necessary to thaw mounting tensions

A meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping is in the works according to high…

Trump, Xi meeting necessary to thaw mounting tensions

US President Donald Trump (PHOTO: AFP)

A meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping is in the works according to high ranking officials from the White House and Beijing. 

Such a meeting will be a welcomed development among business and diplomatic circles in Asia as increasing tensions between Washington and Beijing have fueled speculation and disrupted long term planning. 

Official statements from both camps in recent weeks have been cordial, a marked turn from the fiery rhetoric of President Trump's electoral campaign where he promised a trade war against China and questioned the one-china policy
concerning Taiwan. 

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“Any meeting between the presidents of the United States and the People’s Republic of China would necessarily cover a broad range of topics of mutual concern," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told a news briefing, according to China Daily. 

The Chinese Foreign Minister was even more optimistic when asked about a possible Trump, Xi meeting. 

“There is no reason why China and the US could not become excellent partners, as long as we act on the consensus reached by our presidents, follow the principles of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation,” Foreign
Minister Wang Yi said.

But real issues between the two superpowers remain, chief among them questions over North Korea, the South China Sea and Trump's vague promise to even the trade imbalance between the two countries. 

The issues have not gone unnoticed in Asia where countries have questioned America's unclear strategy in Asia. Taiwan's 2017 defense review commented on the buildup of Chinese forces in the South China Sea and highlighted
uncertainty over the future strategic direction of the United States. 

Australia's first ambassador to China gave a lecture on Thursday calling on Australia to make China its primary focus in the near future, saying in no uncertain terms, "We are living in a Chinese world." 

Stephen FitzGerald, the Australia envoy to China in the mid-1970s called for increased Chinese studies in Australian curriculums. 

The speech comes after a combative phone call between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership. 

A visit by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Asia this week may answer some of the questions that have been left vague by the Trump administration. But senior diplomats say that only a meeting "of the highest level" would
resolve questions and boost confidence. 

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