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A street scene in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, already welcoming the APEC summit scheduled for two days starting November 18. If a gathering of the U.S., Chinese, and Russian leaders takes place, this Shenzhen APEC summit could become the site of a watershed event recorded in history. / The Beijing News (Xinjingbao)

Holding a trilateral summit among the U.S., China, and Russia on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, to be held for two days starting the 18th of next month in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, is rapidly gaining momentum. Looking at the prevailing atmosphere roughly a month ahead of the gathering, stating that it is virtually locked in would hardly be an overstatement.

The possibility of a summit among U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin—leaders who would find it difficult even to hold a brief pull-aside—was first officially raised on the 1st of last month. According to Beijing diplomatic sources well-versed in global affairs on the 20th, Yury Ushakov, foreign policy aide and senior Kremlin staffer to Russia, clearly mentioned the possibility during an interview with Russian state-run broadcaster Vesti.

Ushakov followed up on the 29th on the same broadcaster, stating that "President Putin will attend the APEC summit as scheduled," indirectly voicing anticipation for the prospect of trilateral talks. Recalling that he is one of President Putin's long-standing key confidants, it can be said that Russia has intentionally continued to prime the pump to make the meeting materialize.

Matters culminated on the 18th (U.S. local time) with a report by The Wall Street Journal revealing that President Putin proposed to President Trump holding trilateral talks at the Shenzhen APEC summit to bring an end to the war in Ukraine and address other matters. The report noted that he made this proposal explicitly during a telephone conversation with President Trump on the 9th. Given past moves by Russia and President Putin repeatedly articulating their openness to talks, the report is highly likely to be true.

In response, President Trump met with reporters at the White House on the 19th (local time) and voiced a positive stance toward the trilateral talks, saying, "If President Xi wants it, I will hold the meeting. I will do everything I can to end the war in Ukraine." While President Xi's position remains a variable, at this point, saying that holding the summit is virtually settled is largely accurate.

Should the summit materialize, the pending items to be discussed are evident. Bringing an end to the war in Ukraine must certainly be cited as the foremost issue. Reflecting on President Trump's remarks at the White House on the 19th, that is undeniably the case. Moreover, with President Xi and President Putin also basically favoring an end to the war, notable and concrete outcomes are certain to emerge.

Global denuclearization could also be addressed as an agenda item. Added to this, bringing an end to the war involving Iran and resolving issues on the Korean Peninsula are also likely to be discussed in depth. It is entirely natural that Han Xiandong, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at the China University of Political Science and Law, forecast: "President Trump is excessively fixated on a summit with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un. Even if a meeting fails to materialize at the APEC summit, I understand he will put forward numerous viewpoints regarding Korean Peninsula affairs during the trilateral encounter. As for the war involving Iran, he bears considerable responsibility himself, so he will have no choice but to address it as a pending issue."

Bringing together the leaders of the U.S., China, and Russia face-to-face is by no means an easy feat. At the APEC summit held in Da Nang, Vietnam, in November 2017, the three leaders merely encountered one another and posed for commemorative photographs. For this reason, if the summit takes place this time, it could become the defining global milestone of this century. There is also no reason why complex, deeply tangled international affairs could not be substantially resolved. That the attention not only of China but of the entire world is already gravitating toward Shenzhen, host city of the APEC summit, appears to have ample justification.

                                                                                                            Hong Soon-do