HONG KONG _ Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-lago, Florida, from April 6-7, Xinhua reported on Thursday, citing foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.
The meeting will be the first between the leaders since Trump took office in January. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said earlier this month that the purpose of the planned meeting would be to "defuse tensions over North Korea and the recent deployment" of the first stages of the U.S. Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in South Korea.
Trump entered office highlighting grievances with Beijing, including the U.S. trade deficit with China, charges of currency manipulation and concern over the country's military expansion to back its territorial claims in disputed maritime areas. Yet tensions have eased of late, particularly after Trump agreed to honor the decades-old One-China policy concerning Taiwan in a phone call with Xi last month.
