Summit of G20 divisions in Japan as Trump escalates attacks on all fronts…

Prominent situations at a storm peak amid trade wars, escalation on Iran and climate differences.

Major world leaders are arriving at the Japanese city of Osaka, to begin gathering for the G20 summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Osaka on Thursday on the eve of a divided summit, with US President Donald Trump planning to escalate on all fronts.

The meeting between Xi and Trump on Saturday is expected to be one of the highlights at a stormy summit, held amid trade wars, escalation over Iran and climate differences.

The heads of state and government of the world’s 20 largest economies, accounting for about 85 percent of the world’s annual wealth, will meet on Friday and Saturday in the city of nearly three million, Japan’s second economic center.

In addition to the official program of the summit and the issuance of a joint statement will be drafted “especially difficult this year”, according to a German source, focused on the anticipation of bilateral meetings, first and foremost meetings of the President of the United States, which will print the atmosphere of the summit.

The meeting will focus on the trade and technological war between the two countries, especially with Washington’s threat to impose strict tariffs on imports of Chinese products.

In his usual style, Trump stressed pressure on China ahead of the summit, announcing in an interview with Fox Business News on Wednesday that “China’s economy is collapsing, they want to reach an agreement”.

It is impossible to predict in advance the positions of the former Republican businessman, especially after he launched his campaign for the upcoming presidential elections multiplied by statements and positions of fire, but most experts expect a truce between China and the United States.

David Dollar of the Brookings Institution think tank said a “mini-deal” could be reached under which the United States would impose new customs duties and possibly make some concessions over China’s Huawei Telecom, Buying US farmer products as a goodwill gesture.

But the expert cautioned that the trade war would see a truce for a few months “may end in disappointment as the divergence seems to be large”.

The president of the Institute for Development Policy Bank, Nayuki Yoshino, said he hoped the two presidents would “calm the fears” of the volatile financial markets as global economic growth slows.

Amid increasing tensions with Iran, Trump warned Tehran, which Washington is imposing sanctions on, to continue pursuing nuclear weapons and meddling in Middle East conflicts.

He spoke of the possibility of a “not very long” war with Iran, while Russia, China and the Europeans are trying to calm the situation.

In addition to China and Iran, Trump seems intent on not taking into consideration any of his G-20 partners, in the light of his recent resounding remarks.

On Thursday, he denounced India’s “unacceptable” customs duties, warning India’s Prime Minister Narendra Moody ahead of a planned bilateral meeting in Osaka.

Trump also called Wednesday Germany a “failed partner” and accused it of “paying billions and billions of dollars to Russia to buy energy resources, but we have to secure its protection”, before a scheduled meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“All the countries in the world are exploiting the United States, it is unbelievable”, said Trump, who is methodically ambivalent in all major international meetings.

The only president that Trump has not yet targeted is an angry glee or a stern statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will also meet him in Osaka.

The two countries are facing a crisis with Iran.

In this charged atmosphere, Japan, which is hosting the G20 summit, will try to get all parties to sign the final statement.

The significance of the statement, which is being negotiated at least in detail, is the diplomatic message it has given, traditionally advocating free trade and reducing greenhouse gases, both of which are red lines for the US president who is taking protectionism and getting his country out of the Paris climate deal.

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a warning ahead of the summit, saying during an official visit to Japan that “if we cannot reach agreement in a room of 20 to defend the climate ambition, it’ll be simply without France”.