Diplomacy dominates Xi and Tillerson's meeting as North Korea simmers
Beijing — With warm words from Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ended his first trip to Asia since taking office with an agreement to work together with China on North Korea and putting aside trickier issues. China has been irritated at being repeatedly told by Washington to rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes and the US decision to base an advanced missile defence system in South Korea. Beijing is also deeply suspicious of US intentions towards self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own, with the Trump administration crafting a big new arms package for the democratic island that is bound to anger China. But meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, those issues were brushed aside by Xi and Tillerson, at least in front of reporters, with Xi saying Tillerson had made a lot of effort to achieve a smooth transition in a new era of relations. "You said that China-US relations can only be friendly. I express my apprec...
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