Trump rolls out red carpet for Xi as Japan-China ties freeze

President Donald Trump is preparing a warm welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping. At the same time, relations between China and Japan are growing cold. The contrast is sharp. Washington is courting Beijing. Tokyo and Beijing are drifting apart. For Japan, this is a difficult position. Its closest ally, the United States, is reaching out to its biggest regional rival, China. That leaves Japan watching from the sidelines. The shift matters for the whole region. East Asia's balance of power depends on how these three countries manage their ties. Right now, two of them are warming up. The third is left out in the cold.