NEW YORK, Sept 21 (Reuters) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the foreign ministers of Asian allies South Korea and Japan in New York on Monday ahead of a summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
Analysts say the US allies are anxious that Trump may offer concessions to Xi including over Taiwan and trade in return for an economic win with Beijing. Officials say both Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung are keen to see the US president during the UN General Assembly in New York, where all three are scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
Trump hosts Xi at the White House in Washington on Thursday.
In addition to concerns about Taiwan, allies will be scrutinizing any trade announcements from the summit for their impact on competitiveness relative to China, analysts said. Even a modest reduction in trade barriers for Beijing could erode their positions.
Rubio and his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun and Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi posed for photos but did not take questions from reporters before their meeting at a New York hotel.
South Korea says Lee is seeking a meeting with Trump during the UN gathering, which comes as Seoul and Washington negotiate details of South Korea’s $350 billion investment package in the United States under a trade deal struck by the allies last year.
On Monday, a South Korean opposition lawmaker called for parliamentary scrutiny of the investment package, warning that negotiations over energy projects could leave South Korea carrying disproportionate financial risks.
Takaichi, who angered Beijing last year by saying Tokyo could be drawn into a conflict over Taiwan, has also been trying to get Trump’s ear ahead of his meeting with Xi, Japanese government sources say.
(Reporting by Simon Lewis and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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