Presidents Trump and Xi to meet in South Korea amid trade tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea. The highly anticipated meeting is expected to focus on trade tariffs, technology controls, and China’s potential purchase of U.S. soybeans. President Trump’s visit to South Korea comes as part of a five-day trip across Asia, which also includes stops in Malaysia and Japan. He departed Washington, D.C., on Friday and made a brief refueling stop in Qatar, where he met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea. The highly anticipated meeting is expected to focus on trade tariffs, technology controls, and China’s potential purchase of U.S. soybeans. President Trump’s visit to South Korea comes as part of a five-day trip across Asia, which also includes stops in Malaysia and Japan. He departed Washington, D.C., on Friday and made a brief refueling stop in Qatar, where he met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard Air Force One. The upcoming talks on Thursday with President Xi will mark the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Trump’s return to office. Analysts say the discussions could shape the next phase of U.S.–China relations, particularly as trade tensions continue to escalate. President Trump has recently threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 155 percent starting November 1 if no trade agreement is reached. Such a move would likely draw a sharp response from Beijing and could end the fragile truce that has temporarily halted further tariff increases. Beyond trade, the two presidents are also expected to address sensitive geopolitical issues, including Taiwan and China’s close ties with Russia. The latter remains a key concern for Washington amid expanded U.S. sanctions over Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The APEC summit presents a critical opportunity for both nations to ease economic tensions and rebuild diplomatic channels after years of uncertainty. Observers will be watching closely to see whether the meeting produces meaningful progressor further deepens the divide between the world’s two largest economies.