Trump and Xi have ‘conciliatory’ meeting after White House gaffe – China’s latest political and current affairs news
A summary of the top news in Chinese politics and current affairs for July 10, 2017. Part of the daily The China Project newsletter, a convenient package of China’s business, political, and cultural news delivered to your inbox for free. Subscribe here.
The bromance is back, both Western and Chinese media are chorusing, after President Trump came to a meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Hamburg with a “conciliatory tone,” according to the Global Times. New York–based outlet Newsweek likewise noted that Trump had toned down his recent tough talk on China as he went into the meeting, and Bloomberg went so far as to say that Trump and Xi brushed aside issues with North Korea in their meeting, which Trump later said had been “excellent.”
Trump appears to have gone beyond “toning down” his criticism of China. In this meeting, he reportedly tried to flatter Xi by saying “it’s an honor to have gotten to know you.” Moreover, in contrast to his previous tweet saying that China’s efforts on North Korea had “not worked out,” Trump said this time, “I appreciate the things that you have done in regard to the very substantial problem that we all face in North Korea.” Xi, in response, urged “dialogue and consultation,” while treating sanctions as merely a “necessary response” to violations of UN Security Council resolutions, Xinhua says.
The friendly tone of the meeting seemed to be unaffected by a highly embarrassing White House gaffe: An official statement from the administration’s press office referred to Xi Jinping as the president of Taiwan — the statement said “Republic of China” instead of “People’s Republic of China.” The incident went unreported in Chinese state media. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on July 10 that Washington has apologized and corrected the error.
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Japan
Xi Jinping, Shinzo Abe agree to hold more face-to-face talks / Nikkei Asian Review
“Japan envisions that Abe would visit China in the first half of 2018, while Xi would visit Japan in the second half of the year.” -
Australia
Turnbull tells China: Rein in North Korea / The Australian -
India
China refuses to acknowledge Modi-Xi meet, insists on withdrawal of Indian troops for dialogue / India Today -
Rule of law
Isolated, tortured and mentally scarred … the plight of China’s human rights lawyers two years after ‘709 crackdown’ / SCMP
