Trump threatens to impose further tariffs on Chinese goods if Xi Jining doesn’t meet him at G20 Summit
The trade war between United States (U.S.) and China is getting murkier with President of U.S. – Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on another set of Chinese exports worth U.S. $ 300 billion, if President of People’s Republic of China – Xi Jinping doesn’t meet him during the upcoming G20 Summit in Japan.
The G20 Summit will be held on June 28-29, 2019 at Osaka in Japan. The G20 is an international forum for the Governments and Central Bank Governors from 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It was founded in 1999 to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. The member countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom (U.K.) and the U.S.
Speaking about meeting Xi Jinping, Donald Trump said, “I think he will go, and I think we’re scheduled to have a meeting. I think he’ll go. I would be surprised if he didn’t go. I think he’s going. I haven’t heard that he’s not. We’re expected to meet and if we don’t that’s fine and if we do that’s fine.”
Donald Trump will impose the new tariffs immediately after the G20 Summit, if there is no meeting between Xi Jinping and him.
Though Beijing has not yet confirmed anything officially but according to a Chinese daily, South China Morning Post, Trump and Xi Jinping may meet over a formal face-to-face negotiation over dinner instead of a quick handshake and chat.
Trump also said that personally he shares a great relationship with Xi Jinping.
For the records, both the sides had also met earlier on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Argentina in November 2018 and had agreed to resolve the tensions between the two nations. But the fact remains that despite several follow-up meetings and foreign delegation visits, nothing concrete was reached. As a result, U.S. increased tariff on Chinese goods worth U.S. $ 200 billion, from 10% to 25% in May 2019. In response, China also increased tariff on U.S. goods worth U.S. $ 60 billion, from 10% to 25%, from June 1, 2019. China has also accused U.S. of promoting economic terrorism.
Besides, China is also set to ask India and Russia in voicing their reservations with regards to U.S. trade protectionism during the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit scheduled to be held from June 13-14, 2019, in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
