Beijing Confirms Talks for Xi, Trump, and Putin Meeting in Shenzhen
China says it is coordinating a trilateral summit during APEC week, a move analysts view as a strategic photo opportunity.
By Carolina Wood ·
Beijing has officially confirmed that it is in communication with Washington and Moscow about a three-way meeting of heads of state. Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, made the disclosure during a press briefing in Beijing this week. The proposed gathering is scheduled to occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen later this month.
The event would mark the first time Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet together. Trump is expected to travel to Shenzhen for his third meeting with Xi this year. The visit aims to sustain a fragile trade truce that expires in January.
Analysts suggest the meeting is primarily symbolic. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, stated that China seeks the image of the meeting without incurring the costs of substantive negotiations. She noted that the three leaders have conflicting interests and are unlikely to produce major policy agreements.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a video call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday. Greer urged Beijing to take concrete actions to fully implement past commitments. These commitments specifically relate to agricultural purchases, rare earths, and other critical minerals. This exchange highlights that economic tensions remain despite the planned diplomatic summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is focused on using the meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine. He wants to do so without Ukraine at the table. Danny Russel, a former senior State Department official and current fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Putin has the most to gain from the trilateral. Russel described the meeting as a diplomatic coup for Russia.
Sun Yun warned that China will have to manage Russian attempts to influence the discussions. She said Beijing would avoid deep dives into arms controls or specific conflicts like Ukraine and Iran. China’s diplomatic stance remains that peace is important and wars should end. However, she cautioned that the summit should not be viewed as three great powers dividing the world.
Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described the event as a photo opportunity for Putin. He noted that such spectacles often have diminishing diplomatic returns. Singleton argued the meeting may be historic in appearance without producing consequential outcomes.
