After lashing out at friend and foe alike en route to Osaka in westernfor the meeting, Trump appeared in a less combative mood when meeting fellow world leaders face-to-face.
Only two days earlier, he had seemed to call into question the US-Japan alliance, saying that Washington was committed to protecting Japan but if America was attacked, the Japanese could just “watch it on a Sony television.” Experts believe there is little chance of a full deal immediately, saying the best hope is for a truce that would avoid Washington imposing new tariffs and ramping up the conflict.
After Xi held a meeting with counterparts from Egypt, South Africa, and Senegal, Dai Bing, an official from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said “all leaders stressed that… bullying practices are on the rise.” Host Japan is hoping to bridge the gaps between European leaders who want strong action and an American administration committed to withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement.