Trump-Xi meeting this week could head off a global recession or worsen outlook
WASHINGTON - When President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in Japan later this week to discuss their nations' worsening conflict over trade and commercial relations, the course of the global economy may depend on which Donald Trump shows up.
Trump has veered for months from threatening to bring down the Chinese economy to talking optimistically about being close to signing a great deal. One moment, he's whacked Beijing with tariffs and threats of harsh sanctions; the next, he's suspended the threats and even thrown Beijing a lifeline.
What makes the game especially fraught, not only for the United States and China but also for Europe, Japan and much of the developing world, is that the global economy is already showing signs of a slowdown. An escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing could drag growth down to a standstill.
In addition to the trade and tariff disputes, the
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