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Trump: Meeting with China’s president next week will be 'very difficult'

The first meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, set to take place at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida next week, will be "very difficult," Trump said yesterday evening.

"The meeting next week with China will be a very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits and job losses," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives.”

The two heads of state are expected to discuss trade, North Korea's nuclear threat and China's military build-up in the South China Sea, among other topics during the April 6-7 meet-up, which was confirmed yesterday by the US and Chinese governments.

"The president looks forward to meeting with President Xi and exchanging views on each other's respective priorities, and to chart a way forward on a bilateral relationship between our two nations," White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said.

Xi will travel to Florida at Trump's invitation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said without offering details.

The US would not detail why the leaders chose to meet at Mar-a-Lago instead of the White House, but former president Barack Obama also hosted Xi outside Washington for talks at Sunnylands in California in 2013.

Xi and Trump had a first phone conversation after Trump’s inauguration in February. During that talk, Trump reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the 'One China' policy, according to which countries that seek diplomatic relations with China must break official ties with Taiwan.

Trump had previously angered Beijing by taking a congratulatory call from the Taiwanese president after the US elections.

Throughout the campaign, Trump lashed out at China, accusing it of unfair trade practices and currency manipulation. His tone softened after he took office, as the US is seeking China's help in reining in North Korea’s nuclear threat.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula were the main topic of conversation during US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to China, South Korea and Japan earlier this month, and the issue is expected to resurface during Trump and Xi's meeting.

China's military build-up in the South China Sea might be another discussion item. Although Tillerson and Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, had hinted at US military interventions in the South China Sea, Trump has been mostly quiet on the issue since taking office.

Xi plans to stay at the Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa in Manalapan, Florida, according to American media.

He is expected to head to the US after making an official visit to Finland from April 4-6.

- dpa

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