China confirms talks on possible Trump-Xi-Putin summit in Shenzhen

China has confirmed it is discussing the organization of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to SpotMedia. The meeting could take place this month in Shenzhen, possibly on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for November 18-19. APEC brings together 21 economies, including the United States, China, and Russia.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed the existence of diplomatic contacts on Wednesday but did not announce a final agreement on the meeting. She said China is in contact with the relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state.

“China wants the image, but not the costs.”

Experts quoted by The Independent say divergent interests could limit the outcome to a diplomatic photo opportunity carefully prepared by Beijing. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said she believes the meeting will take place and that the question is what its format and content will be. She added that China wants the image but not the costs.

Trump has previously said he would be interested in meeting with Xi and Putin to discuss nuclear arms control. Putin, however, is said to seek a discussion on the war in Ukraine without Kyiv's participation. Danny Russel, a former senior State Department official in the Barack Obama administration, said Russia has the most to gain from a trilateral leaders' meeting and that the Russians are clearly the ones insisting on such a gathering.

Sun Yun said Russia would try to bring China and the United States closer to Moscow's positions on Ukraine. Beijing should manage these attempts and avoid the impression that the meeting represents a division of the world among three great powers.

The prospect of a three-power summit revives comparisons with Yalta and the idea of a world divided into spheres of influence. The Conversation writes that today's world is much harder to divide through agreements among major powers.