A meeting of utmost importance

On June 7-8, US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first summit after Xi assumed office in March. According to a White House statement, the two leaders "will hold in-depth discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues. They will review progress and challenges in US-China relations over the past four years and discuss ways to enhance cooperation, while constructively managing our differences, in the years ahead."

The meeting is generating attention because it appears unusual in many respects. For starters, the two leaders are engaging in what China's Foreign Ministry describes as a "no-ties, shirtsleeves" summit at the Sunnylands Estate in Rancho Mirage, California, a west coast retreat used by American presidents. They will engage in a low-key meeting rather than a flashy and pomp-filled media event.

Second, the meeting is important because it comes soon after Xi became China's president. Most observers expected the two presidents to meet first on the sidelines of upcoming G20 summit in Russia in September. But it seems the two leaders want to meet at the earliest possible time.