Yves here. John Helmer gives a careful reading of Chinese press statements and concludes that Xi will not meet with Trump if the US is not negotiating with Iran and is instead engaged in active operations. It is not clear whether a continuation of the blockade alone, with no other attacks in play, would be a sufficient climbdown. I would guess not, since Helmer makes clear that Xi does not want to appear to be tacitly supporting US belligerence in the Gulf. If the US merely extended its pause through a Trump summit with Xi, and then pretty immediately resumed strikes, it could look like Trump had successfully snookered Xi. China watchers encouraged to weigh in. By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia.…