Xi Jinping seeks to persuade Trump to weaken Taiwan support
Illustrative photo: Xi Jinping aims to persuade Trump to ease support for Taiwan (GettyImages)
A meeting between the leaders of the US and China is scheduled for Thursday, with the focus on Taiwan and trade issues, where both sides are seeking to align their strategic positions, according to The New York Times.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet with US President Donald Trump in South Korea on Thursday. The main focus of the talks will be on Taiwan and trade relations between the two countries.
According to The New York Times, the Chinese side will seek to persuade Trump to soften US support for Taiwan, which could strengthen Beijing's position on the international stage.
Focus on trade
Trump has said that he wants to focus on trade issues at the meeting, even if Xi Jinping raises the topic of Taiwan.
The US President has noted that Taiwan does not invest enough in its own defense and occupies a dominant position in the production of semiconductors, which, in his opinion, requires a review of the US approach.
Pressure on Taiwan
Analysts note that Chinese officials may use the meeting to force Trump to clarify the US position on Taiwan.
Xi is expected to try to get the US to publicly declare that it does not recognize the island's independence, which would be in line with the position of previous administrations and would be welcomed by Beijing.
Strategic significance of meeting
Experts believe that the results of the talks could determine the future dynamics of US-China relations. The parties will try to balance trade interests with geopolitical issues, including Taiwan's security and the semiconductor industry.
The outcome of the meeting could be an important indicator of how the US will build its strategy in Asia in the coming years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his willingness to meet with US President Donald Trump, but no specific date for the talks has been set yet.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán plans to meet with US President Donald Trump to discuss Russian oil supplies to the country and their importance for Hungary.
