Simmering Trump-Xi tensions shape landmark summit

PRESIDENTS Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are making final preparations for their first face-to-face session on Thursday and Friday in Florida. The meeting has potential to be the most important yet for Mr Trump with any foreign leader given the stakes in play in what is, in many respects, the country's most important bilateral relationship.

While economic and security fundamentals will largely determine the course of ties in coming years, personal chemistry between the two leaders - or its absence - could also be key.

During the Obama presidency, the fact that relations remained generally cordial reflected, in significant part, personal commitment of Barack Obama and Mr Xi to bilateral stability. Both recognised the super-priority of the relationship, and Washington pursued a strategy that promoted cooperation on softer issues such as climate change, while seeking constructive engagement on vexed, harder issues such as South China Sea tensions.