Chinese leader Xi Jinping told the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe he probably wouldn¡¯t have joined the Communist Party if he¡¯d been born in the U.S., but would have been a member of the Democratic or Republican parties.
¡°In other words, he didn¡¯t see any point in a party that doesn¡¯t wield political power,¡± Abe is cited as saying in a memoir released Wednesday in Japan, seven months after the former Japanese leader was fatally shot on the campaign trail.
The book, based on interviews with Japan¡¯s longest-serving prime minister, relates details of his interactions with other global leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin ¡ª described as ¡°surprisingly friendly¡± and fond of dark humor. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is portrayed as inclined to make long phone calls, mostly about golf.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.