All eyes on upcoming Trump-Xi G20 meet as US-China trade tensions intensify

Adding to trade and other tensions between the US and China are the issues of currency valuations, and a Chinese trade surplus

When G20 finance ministers met in Bali last week to review economic developments in the lead-up to the annual G20 summit, they could not ignore troubling signs in the global economy driven by concerns about an intensifying US-China trade conflict.

Last week’s slide in equities markets will have served as a warning – if that was needed – of the risks of a trade conflict undermining confidence more generally.

China’s own Shanghai index is down nearly 30% this year. This is partly due to concerns about a trade disruption becoming an all-out trade war.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde’s call on G20 participants