It’s looking like the handshake meeting between President Trump, South Korea’s Moon Jae-in and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is going to happen. President Trump told traveling pool: “We’re gonna see. They’re working things out right now.” Apparently the details are in rapid resolve mode.
President Trump arrived with the U.S. entourage at the Blue House in South Korea, where a reception and dinner were planned by the host nation. LPGA champion Se-ri Park and members of the K-pop band Exo were also at the reception. Video:

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After the reception the President and delegation had dinner hosted by President Moon Jae-in. The main dish was a sirloin steak made of US beef, accompanied by bulgogi sauce, pickled garlic leaves and other side dishes. There were also 12 cold Korean starters on the official menu including steamed sea urchin with tofu and pan-fried mung beans.
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President Trump will be holding a press conference this morning as the G20 summit has concluded. The presser is scheduled for 2:30am EST in Osaka Japan. There are multiple media reports that President Trump and Chairman Xi Jinping have agreed to restart trade discussions.  This will likely be a primary focus of questions as the world is watching.
UPDATE: Video Added

With the pre-G20 magnanimous panda activity by China, there’s little doubt Chairman Xi will have offered a modification in DPRK influence in exchange for a some form of trade negotiations; likely now limited to the restart.  That would present a position where Vice-Chairman Liu He can reengage with the U.S. team (Lighthizer and Mnuchin).
It would make sense for President Trump to pause any further tariff action as an act of good faith if that move can get Kim Jong-Un released. It costs the U.S. position nothing.
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The event the world is waiting for happens at 10:30pm EST.  President Trump will be holding a bilateral meeting with Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping.
All eyes are turned towards Trump and Xi as they go into what could be one of the most significant meetings of the entire G20. The U.S. and China have seen increasing economic tensions as the two superpowers square off over tariffs and China’s questionable connections to their tech companies.
UPDATE: Video Added: In two visible signals: (1) Chairman Xi brings back Vice-Premier Liu He to the table, signaling potential concession. However, (2) President Trump brings U.S. Manufacturing Policy Advisor, Peter Navarro, the arch nemesis Beijing, signaling no compromise.

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[Transcript] PRESIDENT XI: (As interpreted.) Mr. President, let me make a few opening remarks.
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On the second day of the G20 summit, President Donald Trump holds a working breakfast meeting with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman.  The breaking news surrounds the possibility of an impromptu meeting between North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un and President Trump. [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] – PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s an honor to be with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, a friend of mine, a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia. And I think especially what you’ve done for women. I’m seeing what’s happening; it’s like a revolution in a very positive way.
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As President Trump begins day-two at the G20 he happens to tweet a public message to Chairman Kim Jong-Un about a quick meet-and-greet at the DMZ.  You know, if you’ve got a few minutes… LOL.

Too darned funny….. Obviously this possibility was the subject of the letter which President Trump recently sent to Chairman Kim which the North Korean leader described as “excellent content“.   Trump had this tweet timed for this moment. As we noted at the time, this was predictable.

By President Trump announcing the possibility of a visit with Kim Jong-un before Xi has a chance to sell his DPRK influence for a better trade outcome, President Trump has essentially removed any value.  Chairman Xi, the hostage taker, has been tricked by the hostage rescuer.

On the hostage dynamic – last week the hostage taker (Chairman Xi), finally positioned the public optics of Chairman Kim as the hostage; and indicated a likelihood Beijing would negotiate terms for release (better trade deal) with President Trump. Therefore the rescuer (Trump) countered with communication with the hostage (Kim), and set up an entirely different geopolitical background.
President Trump has totally out-witted Chairman Xi.
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Day two of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, will include the much anticipated meeting between President Trump and China’s Chairman Xi Jinping.  The world is paying close attention to this bilateral discussion. Remember, Japan is 11 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.

Following the end of the G20 President Trump will fly to South Korea for a meeting with President Moon Jae-in.  The central topic will likely be the status of North Korea. There may be some surprises (watch for a Trump meeting with Chairman Kim at the DMZ.
8:15am JDT / 7:15pm EDT THE PRESIDENT participates in a working breakfast with the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MbS) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Osaka, Japan
9:15am JDT / 8:15pm EDT THE PRESIDENT departs the Hotel en route to INTEX Osaka, Osaka, Japan
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During an earlier G20 discussion of technology in a fast digital age, President Trump highlighted the potential security compromises with the new 5G communication network.  This was an indirect shot toward China and the controversy surrounding Huawei with China’s Chairman Xi Jinping only separated from Trump by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

It would appear President Trump is in full confrontation mode, albeit diplomatically, as the highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Xi is going to take place at 10:30pm tonight.  We are likely, heck, almost guaranteed, to see a complete reversal in position between the two leaders as President Trump wears the panda mask to cover the Eagle glare.  This truly is the dance with the dragon.
After several years of background strategy, President Trump now has Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping in a tenuous position while the ramifications of the U.S-China trade dispute unfold around him and seemingly begin to collapse the One-Belt/One-Road supply chain Beijing has carefully planned.  Actual manufacturing and investment is now retreating from China as the U.S. President continues to use access to the U.S. market as leverage to retract the tentacles of Chinese economic expansion.
President Trump has a quiver full of economic arrows that are available to him; not the least of which is the possibility of enhanced tariffs toward even more Chinese products. Beijing cannot keep subsidizing industry to keep position, they are bleeding cash and the threats against Western corporations have only made matters worse.
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The last bilateral meeting of the first day at the G20 in Osaka, Japan, was held between President Trump and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro.  [Video and Transcript]
The US accounts for 34 percent of the world’s soybean production with 108 million metric tons. Brazil accounts for 30 percent of the global production of the crop with 87 million metric tons. Combined, Trump and Bolsonaro control 64 percent of global soybean production. [China consumes 60 percent of global soybeans available for export.]
Note: Brazil is a strategic geopolitical U.S. partner against Chairman Xi’s influence, due to the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). It is obvious this has been discussed between Bolsonaro and POTUS Trump.  Within the media pool some enterprising narrative engineer asked President Trump about the Day-Two meeting between Xi and Trump, as noted below (emphasis mine):

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[Transcript] PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much everybody. We’re with a gentleman who had one of the greatest election wins anywhere in the world, as far as I’m concerned, and he was very proud of his relationship with President Trump — President of Brazil. And he’s a special man — doing very well, very much loved by the people of Brazil. And I think we can say that Brazil and the United States are as close or closer as they’ve ever been. So I just want to welcome you and say thank you very much, my friend.
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The G20 summit in Osaka was filled with smiles, kisses, and handshakes between world leaders on their first day of meetings as they came together to discuss global issues such as trade and the digital economy.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gathers the G20 world leaders to pose for a family photograph in front of Osaka Castle before being treated to dinner and a gala performance. It’s always interesting to watch the interactions between the G20 leaders.

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There will be more detailed summaries coming later; however, here’s some of the more interesting aspects so far.   The G20 Osaka, Japan Group Picture:

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As expected the schedule of President Trump’s first set of bilateral discussions seems structured around the Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China’s expansion.  In this strategy within Southeast Asia geopolitics Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is the fulcrum for a shifting economic dynamic.
President Trump hosts a bilateral with Prime Minister Abe, and then again hosts a rather unusual trilateral meeting between himself, Abe and India’s Prime Minister Modi.  The three leaders met in a trilateral discussion at the Buenos Aires G20 in 2018.
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