US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to convene for an unprecedented trilateral meeting next week. The high-stakes discussions will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, hosted in Shenzhen, China, from November 18-19.
Key Global Issues on the Agenda
The proposed meeting between the three global leaders is expected to tackle several critical international concerns. High on the agenda are discussions surrounding nuclear arms reduction, the regulation of artificial intelligence, and escalating tensions involving Iran.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales confirmed President Trump's intent to discuss nuclear weapons reduction, emphasizing the US president's view that their proliferation poses extreme danger. These discussions gain particular urgency following the expiration of the New START treaty between Washington and Moscow in February. This agreement, the last major bilateral nuclear arms control pact, had imposed legally binding limits on their strategic nuclear arsenals, leaving the world's two largest nuclear powers without comparable restrictions.
Beyond traditional arms control, the leaders are also anticipated to explore potential commitments on regulating the use of artificial intelligence in nuclear arsenals. This forms part of broader discussions on global governance in an increasingly technologically advanced world.
Iran and Regional Stability
Iran is another key subject slated for discussion. China maintains its position as Tehran's largest trading partner and a significant buyer of Iranian crude oil, giving Beijing considerable economic interests in developments concerning the country.
However, a senior US official indicated that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine would not be a feature of these trilateral discussions, as Washington is pursuing a separate negotiating track with Moscow on that issue. China has sustained close economic ties with Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with bilateral trade continuing despite Western sanctions.
Additional Engagements and APEC Context
No separate bilateral meeting between President Trump and President Putin is scheduled during the visit, and Washington has no plans to engage with North Korea. President Trump is expected to arrive in Shenzhen late Wednesday, with a planned bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping on Thursday. This engagement will mark another opportunity for the two leaders to manage differences over trade, artificial intelligence, and Taiwan.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Beijing is in communication with Washington and Moscow regarding the proposed trilateral meeting. China hopes the APEC summit will yield practical outcomes in areas such as trade, connectivity, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence, aligning with the summit's theme: "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."
The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will host leaders from the grouping's 21 member economies. India is not a member of this 21-economy grouping.