Fri Oct 24 05:47:53 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trump to Meet Xi in South Korea Amid Trade Tensions
WASHINGTON D.C. – President Donald Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30th in South Korea, ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, the White House confirmed Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for the morning of October 30th, comes at a time of escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
“We have a pretty long meeting scheduled,” Trump said Wednesday, expressing hope that the two superpowers could “work out a lot of our doubts and questions.” He added, “I think something will work out. We have a very good relationship, but that will be a big one.”
The APEC summit, a forum promoting free trade among 21 Pacific Rim economies, will be held in Gyeongju, South Korea on October 31st and November 1st. It is unclear if Trump will be attending the APEC summit itself.
Trump has imposed a 30% tariff on Chinese imports to the US and threatened further levies if a trade deal is not reached. He also plans to urge Xi to halt Chinese companies’ purchases of Russian oil, following the imposition of sanctions on Russian oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Before the meeting with Xi, President Trump’s itinerary includes stops in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and bilateral meetings with the Malaysian Prime Minister, followed by a visit to Tokyo for a meeting with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He will then travel to Gyeongju for a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
South Korean officials hope the series of summits involving the leaders of South Korea, the United States, and China will “build consensus for peace, prosperity, and stability in the region.” While South Korea aims to advance discussions with Washington on security and tariffs, an agreement is not guaranteed. The two nations remain divided on implementing a $350 billion South Korean investment pledge aimed at lowering tariffs on South Korean exports to the U.S.
First Piper 