Reported Trump-Xi meet as U.S. stocks dip, trade deficit hits record

(AP) China says it is in communication with the United States amid reports of a planned meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump next month following a dive in the U.S. stock market blamed partly on a growing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang offered no specifics Friday, saying only that China had noted the reports and maintains “communication on dialogues and exchanges at all levels” with the U.S.

The reported meeting would take place during the G-20 summit in Argentina in late November.

The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post both cited White House sources as saying Trump has decided to proceed with the meeting with Xi.

China’s trade surplus with the United States widened to a record $34.1 billion in September as exports to the U.S. market rose by 13 percent over a year earlier despite a worsening tariff war.

Customs data on Friday showed growth in Chinese imports of U.S. goods decelerated to 9 percent over a year earlier.

Washington and Beijing have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s goods in a fight over American complaints about Chinese technology policy.

Overall, China’s global exports rose 14.5 percent over a year earlier, up from August’s 12.2 percent growth. Imports grew 14.3 percent, down from 20.9 percent.