Broad agenda of topics likely for Xi, Obama

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launches a long range rocket in this file still image taken from KRT video footage, released by Yonhap on February 7, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Emphasis expected to lie on overcoming suspicion on the Korean Peninsula issue

President Xi Jinping's upcoming meeting with US President Barack Obama will stress the crucial importance of overcoming suspicion regarding the Korean Peninsula issue that is hampering progress, experts have said.

"Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are expected to last for a long time, and the stance of the US is critical to solving the issue," said Tao Wenzhao, a US studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Washington's long-standing refusal to discuss a peace treaty with Pyongyang is believed to be a major reason behind Pyongyang's nuclear test earlier this year.

The meeting between Xi and Obama is scheduled for Thursday on the sidelines of the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. It will be Obama's only bilateral meeting during the summit, which will be attended by more than 50 heads of state and government.

"Since the start of this century, Chinese and US heads of state have traditionally met on the sidelines of every international conference they attend," Tao said.

The two presidents met in Washington in September during Xi's state visit. They met again in Paris on Nov 30 on the sidelines of the climate conference, and they have since had three phone conversations. In September, they are expected to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China.

Tao said the South China Sea issue will be high on the agenda, since both countries are concerned over the security situation.

"In addition, Beijing still hopes to reach an agreement on a China-US bilateral investment treaty within Obama's term," he said.

Kenneth Lieberthal, senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, described the tension in the South China Sea as a difficult issue.

He said all sides must figure out how to reduce the tension.

Xi and Obama are also expected to talk about the new Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen, head of Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, who will take office on May 20 and "will definitely change the status quo across the Straits; the only uncertain thing is how much," Tao said.

US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US proposes discussing with China its possible deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea in response to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear and missile threat. China and Russia have both expressed concerns about a possible THAAD deployment.

Contact the writer at lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn