Donald Trump - 45th U.S. President (Photo : Getty Images)
According to media reports, a Xi-Trump meeting is planned for healthier China-U.S. relations. Trump plans to host the Chinese president at a two-day summit next month.
Schedule of the meeting is still unconfirmed but according to Axios, a U.S. online media outlet, the meeting would be held on April 6-7 at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The planned summit was also reported by CNN, mentioning an unnamed administration official. The report also said that the plan is to be finalized by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a trip this week to Asia. His trip will include a stop in China on Saturday and Sunday.
The White House was setting up a meeting between Xi and Trump and was not yet prepared to give a date, said Press Secretary Sean Spicer. The meeting would include North Korea and other issues.
"Planning is ongoing for a visit between President Trump and President Xi at a date to be determined," Spicer said.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not give a comment.
The meeting would go along with the series of U.S.-China meetings which has been held recently, with the goal of repairing the ties between the countries.
Trump had injured the ties with his criticisms against China during his election campaigns. He accused China of unfair trade policies and doing too little to restrain North Korea. He also criticized China for building islands in the South China Sea, a territory claimed by several countries.
At the beginning of his term, Trump fuelled up the fire when he took a phone call from the president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen. He later said that the U.S. did not have to follow the "One China" policy which recognizes Taiwan as a part of China.
In a phone call with Xi last month, Trump has agreed to honor the policy. He has also written to the Chinese president to seek "constructive ties."
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi discussed China-U.S. economic ties and security interests in meetings with Trump and Tillerson in his visit to Washington last month.
All eyes are on the Xi-Trump meeting, hoping for mended China-U.S. relations.
