PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – President Donald Trump opens a high-stakes summit Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the urgent threat of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and tensions over trade on the agenda for the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
The leaders were arriving in South Florida separately Thursday afternoon for the summit at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, a location the White House said was selected to give the two days of discussions a more relaxed feel.
Xi landed in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was greeted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump and Xi, joined by their wives, were slated to attend a welcome dinner Thursday night, followed by policy discussions on Friday.
Both as a candidate and president, Trump has taken an aggressive posture toward China, labeling Beijing “tremendous problem” and arguing that lopsided trade deals with China shortchange American businesses and workers. Last week, the president predicted in a tweet that his meeting with Xi would be “very difficult.”
The White House has downplayed expectations for a breakthrough on issues like trade and tariffs, insisting that the 24-hour summit is mostly an introductory meeting for the two leaders. And within Trump’s administration, there are still divisions over how to approach China.