Kremlin: "Xi Jinping Expected to Seek U.S.-China-Russia Trilateral Meeting at APEC"

[Financial News] Xi Jinping, China's president, is reportedly seeking to arrange a meeting among the leaders of the United States, China and Russia on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which will be held in Shenzhen this November.
According to the Russian state broadcaster Vesti on the 29th (local time), Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy adviser, said in an interview with the broadcaster that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend APEC as scheduled. He predicted that a U.S.-China-Russia trilateral meeting could take place.
He predicted, "If the U.S. president also attends the meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the host country's leader, is highly likely to take steps to arrange a trilateral meeting." Ushakov cautioned, however, that no agreement had yet been reached and that U.S. President Donald Trump's attendance had not been confirmed. Even so, he said, "If the three leaders gather, I think it would be natural for them to hold talks."
Earlier this month, on the 1st, Ushakov also hinted at the possibility of a trilateral meeting, saying, "If things proceed as planned, a meeting among the three could take place."
Regarding the possibility of a U.S.-China-Russia trilateral meeting, RIA Novosti reported on the 30th that Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Russia, said in an interview with the Russian daily Izvestia that it "would be highly beneficial." He explained, "I believe that if such a trilateral meeting could be arranged, it would be highly beneficial to the development and formation of a multipolar world."
He continued, "The United States, China and Russia are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and major powers in the world," adding, "The future of this world depends on our three countries."
The Chinese government has not issued an official position on the matter.
At a regular briefing on the 29th, China's Foreign Ministry neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of a trilateral meeting when asked by a reporter, saying, "We have no information to provide at present."
Diplomatic circles in Beijing and Seoul believe Trump's visit to Shenzhen is almost certain. At last week's U.S.-China summit in Washington, D.C. (23–25), Xi reportedly invited Trump to the APEC meeting, and Trump verbally accepted the invitation.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, international affairs correspondent Reporter