No Progress Between U.S. and China

United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping finished two-day meeting in Florida. While they agreed on recognition that the situation of nuclear and missile development in North Korea reached a serious stage, reconfirming cooperation for denuclearization of Korean Peninsula, no effective measure for that goal was found. It is likely that China will leave a series of intimidation, while it continues nominal accusation against Kim Jong-un administration.

According to U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, who had participated in the meeting, both leaders broadly discussed North Korean issue and agreed on recognition that the North had to change their intimidating attitude before setting framework of dialogue or discussion. However, both leaders could not reach a point, on which dealing with comprehensive measures for settling the issue. Trump told Xi that he would prepare unilateral action against North Korea, when China would not be cooperative.

Before the meeting, Trump expected Xi to promise taking stricter measures against North Korea. Stressing all options on the table, that indicated unilateral military option of U.S., Trump tried to put pressure on China in the first direct dialogue with Xi. But, it apparently ended up as a failure. Trump could draw no actual compromise from Xi, who knew the difficulty of taking military option, considering possible backlash from U.S. public. U.S. could get only a positive result in which both nations would be interested.

Chinese government-owned Xinhua News Agency reported that both leaders broadly discussed international or regional issues, not referring to North Korean issue. The agency reported an explanation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wan Yi, which indicated China’s demand of settlement through dialogue and discussion, and intermission of adversary actions of U.S. and North Korea. China does not think that North Korea is solely wrong. Xi reiterated his opposition to deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system in South Korea.

Although Trump had been accusing China’s economic advance in the market, indicating manipulation of foreign exchange market, he also failed in laying hard measure on China. While both leaders agreed on making 100-day Plan for adjusting imbalance of bilateral trade, Chinese government ignored the plan as an outcome of the meeting in their official announcement.

Japan is always on the side of U.S. In spite of no progress in North Korean issue, Japanese officials were positive on the result, regarding as Trump had said what Japan wanted to say to China. But, there was no evidence that Trump could deter further Chinese advance to South China Sea. Japan can accept neither honeymoon of U.S. and China nor sharp opposition between them deteriorating security situation in East Asia. So, what Japan can do is just waiting and seeing.