China Confirms Talks on Possible Xi-Trump-Putin Summit at APEC in Shenzhen

China has confirmed for the first time that discussions are underway about a possible meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson. Mao Ning said at a briefing in Beijing this week that China is in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state. No arrangement has been finalised, but officials indicated the gathering could take place this month on the sidelines of a regional summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Beijing is hosting this year's leaders' summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a 21-member grouping that includes both the United States and Russia. Trump is expected to travel to Shenzhen for what would be his third meeting with Xi this year, as the two sides work to preserve a fragile trade truce that is due to expire in January.

Analysts said a three-way meeting, if it materialises, would be largely symbolic. Sun Yun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Center, said the encounter is likely to proceed but that the format and substance remain uncertain. "China wants the image but not the costs," she said, suggesting Beijing is focused on the optics of hosting the three leaders rather than on securing concrete agreements.

The prospect of a summit comes amid continuing friction on trade. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in a video call on Friday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, urged Beijing to take concrete steps to fully implement past commitments, particularly on agricultural purchases, rare earths and other critical minerals. China's state news agency Xinhua reported that both sides held in-depth and constructive exchanges during the call, and that China raised concerns about Washington's restrictive economic and trade measures.

Trump has said he would be interested in meeting Xi and Putin to discuss nuclear arms control, while Putin is focused on talks about the war in Ukraine without Kyiv at the table. Danny Russel, a former senior State Department official, said Moscow has the most to gain from a trilateral meeting and appears to be driving the push for one, describing it as a potential diplomatic coup for Russia.

With interests among the three powers widely at odds, experts expect any meeting to be carefully choreographed by Beijing, prioritising a photo opportunity over substantive negotiation. Chinese officials have not announced a date, and it remains unclear whether all three leaders will ultimately attend.