US President Donald Trump yesterday struck a conciliatory tone with fellow world leaders at one of the most high-stakes G20 meetings in years, despite deep divisions on trade and climate change.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appealed for unity, with a long-running trade dispute between China and the US threatening to overshadow the event in Osaka.
The appeal seemed to have chimed with arguably the club’s most volatile member, as Trump dialed down his rhetoric against traditional US allies.
Photo: Reuters
Fresh from describing Germany as a “delinquent” for not paying enough into the NATO budget, he was effusive when meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“She’s a fantastic person, a fantastic woman and I’m glad to have her as a friend,” he said.
Merkel appeared well during the talks, a day after a second public shaking attack raised fears about her health. German officials have said that she is not ill.
Trump also hailed Abe for sending “many automobile companies” to the US, apparently heartened by a document Abe gave him showing investment in the US.
World leaders mingled and greeted each other during the family photograph, with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker whispering extensively into Trump’s ear.
Trump entered with Russian President Vladimir Putin, chatting amicably, and Putin patted his US counterpart gently on the back as they parted ways.
The pair met later for the first face-to-face talks since Helsinki in July last year with Trump hailing a “very, very good relationship.”
The meeting came after Putin in an interview with the Financial Times said that the “liberal idea has become obsolete,” a view that met with strong pushback from European Council President Donald Tusk.
“What I find really obsolete are authoritarianism, personality cults, the rule of oligarchs,” Tusk said.
Putin later received a broadside from British Prime Minister Theresa May, who said that normal relations would not be restored until Moscow ends its “irresponsible and destabilizing” activity.
It was their first formal face-to-face since the poisoning in the English city of Salisbury of former spy Sergei Skripal last year that plunged ties into a deep freeze.
Despite warm first encounters, the meeting could be one of the most explosive in years, with clashes possible over trade, Iran and climate change.
“We are seeing rising tension over trade and geopolitics, which are downside risks,” a Japanese official said on the sidelines.
The most eagerly anticipated event is to be today, when Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) hold their first face-to-face talks since the last G20, to thrash out a truce in their trade dispute.
Experts believe there is little chance of a full deal immediately, saying that the best hope is for a truce that would avoid Washington imposing new tariffs and ramping up the conflict.
However, even a truce is not guaranteed, with the Wall Street Journal on Thursday reporting that Beijing would not agree to any deal unless Washington lifts its ban on Huawei Technologies Co (華為).
Trump yesterday made a push to discuss US concerns about the Chinese telecom.
“We actually sell Huawei many of its parts,” Trump said at his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “So we’re going to be discussing that and also how India fits in, and we’ll be discussing Huawei.”
Also looming over the talks were tensions in the Middle East, but here Trump also seemed to step back, saying there was “no rush” to solve the crisis that has sparked fears of a military conflict.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old
SEA SEARCH: Nine crew members of a cargo ship had taken to the water after the vessel sunk off the southern coast, with a rescue effort under way, officials said The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years yesterday killed three people and flooded parts of the nation’s second-biggest city, while rescuers were searching for nine sailors after their cargo ship sank in the storm. Typhoon Gaemi transformed streets in Kaohsiung into rivers, with some households flooded. Offices and schools were closed for the second consecutive day, with thousands of people evacuated. Three people died and 380 were injured due to strong winds and torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi, the Central Emergency Response Center said. The typhoon made landfall in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) at midnight yesterday and departed Taiwan