Trump eyes three-way summit with Xi and Putin at APEC in Shenzhen

United States leader Donald Trump says he expects to hold a rare three-way discussion with China's top official Xi Jinping and Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin during the upcoming APEC event in Shenzhen.

Agenda And Schedule

Beijing confirmed on Monday that it is talking with the parties involved and did not dismiss the idea for the summit, which falls on November 18 and 19. Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the American leader mentioned that the talks will cover ending the conflict involving Russia and Ukraine, the situation in Iran, and efforts to control nuclear arms. This gathering comes alongside a separate two-way meeting between the American and Chinese leaders, marking their third such sit-down this year following trips to Beijing in May and Washington in September. The two will also meet a fourth time later in the year at the G20 in Miami.

Expert Views

Su Liuqiang, an expert at the Centre for American Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, noted that Moscow showed the most enthusiasm for the idea. According to the analyst, an informal chat is more probable than a formal summit due to political pushback in the West and differing goals among the three nations.

Context

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, known as APEC, brings together economies from across the Pacific region to promote free trade and economic cooperation. High-level summits at these events often serve as a platform for leaders of major global powers to hold side discussions on pressing international disputes.