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By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 1st – The United States and China, the two largest economies in the world, will see Saturday whether they reach a breakthrough in the exit of a booming trade war as their presidents meet at a tense G20 summit.
US President Donald Trump, who watches markets nervously, described the summit of 20 major economic powers in Buenos Aires as a deadline for China to meet its demands, without risking further pressure.
The summit itself, which brought together French, Russian and Saudi leaders, was striving to reach an agreement on the fight against climate change, while heated conflicts like Ukraine weigh heavily.
Trump, who has already imposed a $ 250 billion tariff on China, said he was optimistic about making progress with his counterpart Xi Jinping after weeks of dire warnings.
"We work very hard. If we could reach an agreement, that would be nice, "Trump told reporters on Friday during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the first two days of the summit.
"I think they want to do it and I think we'd like to do it. And we'll see, "said Trump.
Trump has thrown the traditional American gambling book on free trade since his shock election of 2016, promising to protect the forgotten workers and put "America first".
Xi's in turn is imposed as a defender of stable global capitalism, a surprising transformation for the leader of a communist state whose entry into the World Trade Organization there is less two decades was controversial.
In a speech to other G20 leaders, Xi said major economies "should firmly defend free trade and the rules-based multilateral trading system."
But in a rhetorical olive branch in Trump, Xi pledged to do more to open the Chinese economy.
"China will continue to deepen market-oriented reforms, protect property rights and intellectual property rights, encourage fair competition and do more to increase imports," he said.
– The tensions gradually attenuate –
Trump accused China of endemic theft of American technology and demanded that the emerging power put an end to its requirements, namely that foreign companies badociate with local partners.
In the run-up to the November 6 legislative elections, Trump intensified his criticism and accused China of interfering in the country to harm his Republican party.
But tensions have eased since Secretary of State Mike Pompeo badured that the United States was not seeking a new Cold War and that US and Chinese trade officials exchanged a long list of issues to discuss.
Trump's criticism of China's trade policy is widely supported in the American political spectrum, but some fear that the president may have bitten too much with a full-fledged campaign that could hurt global markets.
Trump scored a win Friday for his strong trade stance as the United States, Canada and Mexico signed a new trade deal, succeeding the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Although Trump did not completely rewrite NAFTA once promised, he hailed the new agreement reached between the United States, Mexico and Canada, which he described as "an incredible milestone ".
He got the support of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the new Mexican left-wing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in favor of the new agreement.
The China Daily newspaper said that the Pacific powers could reach an agreement in Buenos Aires, but warned the US against excessive pressure on technology.
"If other aspirations were to be considered, such as taking advantage of the niche market to curb Chinese growth, it is unlikely that an agreement will be reached," the newspaper said in an editorial on Friday.
"But a good deal means both sides go happy. The United States should give their usual approach to the winner in international relations this weekend, "he said.
– Tensions fill the top –
A substantial agreement between the United States and China could be a major feat for the G20 summit, where expectations of collective action have been low.
Trump being in conflict with close allies of the United States, two major summits of this year – the Group of Seven Democracies and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum – have ended without ad hoc declarations.
A French source said European leaders were trying to forge a declaration on climate change, even without the United States.
Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement on reducing carbon emissions, saying it was unfair, despite growing evidence of the disastrous effects of climate change.
Trump has canceled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit, officially due to indignation provoked by Moscow's naval skirmishes with Ukraine.
But Trump is also under increasing pressure at home as part of an investigation into whether his presidential campaign was a plot with Russia – a topic that will surely dominate his press conference shortly before his meet with Xi at dinner.
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