Trump likely to host Chinese Prez at Mar-a-Lago

U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to host his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a summit next month at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to a senior administration official.

The official told CNN that the plan is, however, only tentative at the moment.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to finalize plans for the summit with Chinese officials as he arrives in Beijing this week, the official added.

The meeting would be the first in-person meeting between Trump and Xi and would come amid heightened tensions in the region, particularly the increasing North Korean nuclear threat.

Earlier, Trump had accused Beijing for not helping with efforts to contain North Korea. China then said that its efforts and contributions for the same are internationally acknowledged, adding all sides should avoid actions that may result in escalation of tensions.

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea and China's continued building of man-made islands are also likely to be on the agenda.

The discussions between the two leaders are likely to be focused on security challenges and trade.

During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly railed against the trade imbalance between the US and China.

He even promised to formally label China as a currency manipulator on his first day in office, but is yet to do so.

Tillerson's trip to Beijing - which will come this week after official meetings in Tokyo and Seoul - will lay the groundwork for Xi's visit and the agenda items.