The preparatory trade discussions are being led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. A meeting between President Trump and President Xi is scheduled to take place on Thursday in South Korea, where the American president will be present starting Wednesday for a state visit and the APEC summit. This economic conference is expected to gather leaders from Asian and Pacific nations.
President Xi is also expected to attend. According to an anonymous source from the White House, the aim of the conversation between Trump and Xi is to finalize an economic agreement that could alleviate tensions between the two countries.
This will mark the first meeting between the two heads of state since Trump began his second presidential term in January. Since then, China and the U.S. have experienced a turbulent relationship. In late March, the two nations became embroiled in a trade war, with Trump imposing high tariffs on products imported from China. He argued that it was unfair for China to export significantly more goods to the U.S. than vice versa.
In response, China implemented tariffs on American products. Last month, tensions escalated further as China introduced higher import tariffs on rare earth metals, which are crucial for the production of wind farms, electronics, and defense equipment.
In the coming week, Trump will visit Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea to enhance trade relations with these countries. The exact itinerary is not yet finalized, but Trump has expressed openness to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The South Korean government has previously indicated that there is a strong possibility the two leaders will speak. “I would like that,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. During his visit to South Korea, he may visit the border with North Korea, similar to his meeting with Kim in 2019.
Last month, Kim stated that he is open to new talks with the U.S., but under the condition that Washington recognizes his country as a nuclear state and does not demand the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
“Well, I think they are some sort of nuclear power,” Trump responded to that demand while on the plane. “They certainly have a lot of nuclear weapons.”
