Recalling a recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had “never seen men so afraid” as the officials accompanying Xi Jinping, adding with a laugh that he hoped his government would show the same.
Speaking at breakfast at the White House, Trump described how Xi’s aides stood firmly behind him during their bilateral meeting in Busan last month. “Every one of these people was standing like this,” he said, imitating their pose with his arms behind his back and his chin up. “They were paying attention.”
When Trump tried to speak to one of them, he said: “I didn’t get any response. President Xi wouldn’t let him get any response,” before adding with a smile: “I want my government to act like this.”
Addressing Vice President J.D. Vance during breakfast, Trump added: “Why don’t you act this way? J.D. doesn’t act this way. J.D. is interfering in the conversations. I want to keep that up for at least a few days, okay, J.D..”
This sarcasm came after Trump’s first personal meeting with Xi since his return to the White House. The talks, held in Busan ahead of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders Summit, focused on trade frictions and China’s growing influence globally.
The meeting lasted about an hour and forty minutes. As they left the building, the leaders appeared to exchange pleasantries and handshakes. Trump said something in Xi’s ear before the two leaders left.
Trump called Xi a “very difficult negotiator” and said their dialogue was “candid” and “focused on long-standing economic disputes.”
(tags for translation) Donald Trump Xi Jinping meeting
