Trump Reacts to Possible Cancellation of Meeting with Xi Jinping in South Korea
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and TASS, US President donald Trump denied refusing a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea but said he is uncertain whether the meeting will happen.
Responding to reporters’ questions about canceling the meeting, Trump stated, “I have not canceled it, but I don’t know if we are going to have one.”
He added, “Nonetheless of that, I intend to be there (in South Korea), so I think it is possible that this (meeting) will take place.”
Referring to China’s recent move imposing restrictions on rare earth mineral exports, Trump said, “It was completely surprising. They suddenly brought up this idea of imports and exports and no one-really no one-knew anything about it.”
The Chinese government had previously extended export controls on several categories of equipment and raw materials used in producing rare earth minerals.
Yesterday, Trump questioned the necessity of an in-person meeting with Xi Jinping and claimed that Beijing’s actions made such a meeting “pointless.”
The US president confirmed on October 7 that he expected to meet his Chinese counterpart during the APEC summit in South Korea scheduled for late October and early November.
