Chinese Worry Trump Will Embarrass Xi During Meeting

Trump and Chinese president expected to talk North Korea and trade
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 6, 2017 3:51 PM CDT
Does Trump Have Upper Hand in Meeting With Chinese Prez?
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, walks with Chinese president Xi Jinping at the Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, April 6, 2017. The president will meet with President Donald Trump for a two-day summit at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.   (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived separately at Palm Beach International Airport on Thursday, causing major traffic headaches for locals, but more importantly heading to Mar-a-Lago to meet for the first time, the Palm Beach Post reports. While Trump is warning everyone to temper expectations for the meeting—a prelude to more serious discussions down the road, he says—it's unlikely the visit will end without both presidents addressing North Korea and trade. Here's what else you need to know:

  • Trump wants to be aggressive with Xi during their first private meeting, especially when it comes to North Korea and the trade deficit, the New York Times reports. But just how aggressive is a matter of "fierce debate" among White House advisers.
  • Reuters reports that the two presidents couldn't have more different personalities, and the biggest concern among the Chinese is that the "stormy" Trump will do something to publicly embarrass the "measured" Xi.
  • In an impressive gimmick, the BBC literally runs down the ABCs of the Trump-Xi meeting. For example B is for "bashing" while Z is for "zero sum game." (It couldn't come up with anything for Y, though.)
  • USA Today reports there will be no golf played during Xi's visit to Mar-a-Lago. The Chinese president hates golf, believing it represents "corruption, cronyism, and the excesses of capitalism."
  • Contrary to popular belief, Trump actually has the upper hand in this week's meeting, according to the Hill.
  • Not true, argues the Guardian, which reports Xi "holds all the cards."
  • While the meeting between Xi and Trump isn't expected to have an impact on financial markets, one investment strategist tells Forbes "anything can happen" thanks to Trump's well-known "animosity for China."
(More Donald Trump stories.)

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