What President Trump thinks, Vice-President Pence says

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and U.S. Mike Pence, right, stand with other APEC leaders during the Economic Leaders Meeting in Port Moresby. Photo / AP

United States Vice-President Mike Pence was not planning to meet with the leaders of China during his Asia trip last week, but they sought him out anyway.

In several conversations with China's President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, Pence delivered messages on North Korea and the trade dispute, and also set the stage for big showdowns next week when President Donald Trump meets the same leaders in Argentina.

Pence stood in for Trump at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) leaders meeting in Papua New Guinea. Li caught Pence while the two were walking off stage after taking the Asean "family photo". Li wanted to talk about the ongoing US-China trade war. Li told Pence to remember that China is a "developing nation", meaning it should get special treatment on trade. "And we got down to the corner, and we just stopped for a minute, and I just looked at him and said, 'Things have got to change'."

Li was taken aback, with a look of surprise on his face. Pence said he then told Li that the G-20 in Buenos Aires next week was China's best chance to come to the table with a real offer to end its unfair trade and industrial practices.

"You should encourage President Xi to take full advantage of the opportunity in Argentina," Pence said he told Li.

Pence delivered a similar message directly to Xi last weekend in Papua New Guinea, when the two leaders were seated near each other at the Apec gala. "I said, 'The President asked me to tell you he hopes you can have a conversation about opening markets'," Pence said.

Pence had to deliver tough messages clearly, keep the door open for dialogue and progress, and not show any daylight between himself and his boss. Throughout the trip, whenever Trump spoke about China, Pence's staff quickly incorporated those remarks into Pence's speeches.

Bloomberg's Toluse Olorunnipa wrote: "While Asian leaders listened closely to Pence, many were waiting to see if Trump would do something to contradict him."

Everybody talking to Pence understood that he represented only what Trump's position was that day and that Trump could change his mind the following day for any reason.