Three-way Summit: Beijing confirms talks for Xi, Trump, Putin gathering
Officials say the leaders may meet in Shenzhen this month to discuss trade and security, though experts predict the agenda will remain narrow.
By Peter Graham ·
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit serves as the backdrop for potential high-stakes diplomacy in China. Beijing confirmed on Friday that it is in active communication with Washington and Moscow about a trilateral meeting of their heads of state. The gathering is currently being discussed for late November in Shenzhen, where the regional economic summit will be held.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated at a press briefing that the three countries are coordinating regarding the event. She noted that no final schedule has been set, but the timing aligns with the upcoming APEC leaders summit. This grouping includes 21 member nations, with both the United States and Russia participating as key members.
President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Shenzhen for a third meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this year. The two leaders have maintained a fragile trade truce that is scheduled to expire in January. During the visit, Trump has expressed interest in using the occasion to discuss nuclear arms control with both Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, the agendas of the three leaders remain misaligned. While Trump and Xi focus on trade and security, Putin is primarily interested in discussing the war in Ukraine without Ukrainian leadership present. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, observed that China seeks the symbolic image of the meeting without incurring the diplomatic costs of substantive negotiations. She noted that China wants to manage Russian attempts to manipulate the conversation.
Tensions between the U.S. and China persist despite the planned summit. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer spoke with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on a video call on Friday. Greer urged Beijing to take concrete actions to implement past commitments, specifically regarding agricultural purchases and critical minerals. China’s state news agency Xinhua reported that the two sides had constructive exchanges, though Beijing expressed concerns about Washington’s restrictive trade measures.
Former senior State Department official Danny Russel said that Russia has the most to gain from a trilateral meeting, viewing it as a diplomatic victory. He added that Trump is warned by advisers to avoid making Ukraine a central topic. Craig Singleton, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suggested the event may serve primarily as a photo opportunity. He stated that while the spectacle may be historic, it might not produce consequential policy changes.
The next step involves finalizing the logistics for the Shenzhen visit. If the trilateral meeting proceeds, it will occur on the sidelines of the APEC summit this month. The leaders are expected to address trade implementation and potential security frameworks, with the specific format of the interaction still under discussion among the three delegations.
