A widely anticipated meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at the end of June in Japan could be a formal face-to-face negotiation over dinner instead of a quick handshake and chat, a source told the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Neither Beijing or Washington have formally confirmed any plans or provided any details of the meeting, which is widely expected to take place on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in Japan on June 28-29.

The SCMP notes that the manner, duration and format of the meeting will be important to gauge the relationship between the two leaders and the prospect of progress toward a solution to the trade war. If confirmed, the setting of a formal sit-down negotiation would not only allow the two leaders and their aides relatively sufficient time to address their differences but also to agree on a conciliatory tone.