Washington | No date has been set yet for a summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the White House said on Monday noting that the trade negotiations between the two countries still continues.
βIn terms of whether or not we have a date set, not yet. Weβre continuing the negotiations with China. When we have an announcement for the two leaders to sit down, weβll certainly let you know,β White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her news conference.
She was responding to questions on reports that a summit meeting at Trumpβs Mar-a-Lago resort in the US state of Florida has been put off as China considers the US President as βunreliableβ in view of him walking away from talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Sanders ridiculed such a view.
βI would say thatβs absurd. The President is going to make a deal if itβs a good deal. Heβs going to make a deal if itβs in the best interest of America. If he doesnβt feel like itβs a good deal, itβs not worth just signing a piece of paper,β Sanders said.
She argued that the President didnβt feel like what was on the table was enough.
βThe President is 100 per cent committed to denuclearization of the Peninsula, and heβs going to make sure that whatever we do furthers that process. Weβll see what happens with North Korea, the same way weβre going to see what happens in the negotiations with China. Theyβre ongoing,β she said.
Trump is going to make sure whatever deal the US gets is in its best interest β that itβs fair and reciprocal trade; that it protects intellectual property; and that it actually has safeguards to make sure that the Chinese follow through with whatever commitments that they make, Sanders said.
The two leaders will sit down for talks only when the negotiations are complete, she asserted.
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