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Trump-Xi Dinner Offers Chance to Avert Deeper U.S.-China Rift

Two sides far apart on trade issues and even hopes for meeting
Trump projects confidence in deal as he ratchets up threats

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2017. — Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2017.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

By

Saleha Mohsin and

November 29, 2018, 10:08 PM UTCUpdated onNovember 30, 2018, 12:55 PM UTC

A year ago, Xi Jinping thought he had Donald Trump all figured out.

The Chinese president had just hosted his American counterpart in Beijing for a summit rich in fanfare. Despite some tensions during the visit, Xi appeared to have steered Trump away from unleashing a withering trade war between the world’s two largest economies.