US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on 30 October. The White House confirmed the bilateral meeting, which will take place on the sidelines of an Asian summit.
Both governments had planned the encounter for weeks, though it seemed uncertain as tensions between Washington and Beijing kept escalating. It will mark their first in-person meeting since Trump returned to office.
Trump recently warned that he would double tariffs on Chinese goods in November if Beijing does not ease restrictions on rare earth exports.
White House confirms high-stakes meeting
During a Thursday briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the meeting between Trump and Xi. It will happen alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (Apec) in Gyeongju, South Korea, from 31 October to 1 November.
Trump said earlier, “I’ll be meeting with President Xi of China. We have a long meeting planned. We can solve a lot of our doubts and work on our tremendous assets together.” He added, “I think something will work out. We have a very good relationship, but this will be a big one.”
China signals optimism ahead of talks
China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao expressed optimism on Friday about the coming negotiations. He said previous talks showed it was “entirely possible to find solutions to each other’s concerns” and “promote healthy, stable, and sustainable economic and trade relations.”
Wang’s remarks suggest Beijing wants to lower tensions and prevent another trade standoff.
Trump’s wider Asia trip takes shape
Trump will also meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during his stay in Seoul and attend a working dinner with regional leaders. His Asia trip includes another key stop in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit on Sunday.
According to the White House, Trump will also meet leaders from Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, including Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
A fragile ceasefire between two powers
Trump and Xi have already spoken three times this year, most recently in September, about TikTok’s US operations. Their last face-to-face meeting took place in 2019, during Trump’s first term.
Trump believes direct talks with Xi are the best way to tackle long-standing tensions over trade, tariffs, and fentanyl trafficking.
Since May, the US and China have maintained a fragile trade ceasefire that prevented a wave of massive new tariffs.
But earlier in October, China tightened export rules on rare earth materials. In response, Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese imports. He accused Beijing of trying to hold the world “captive” and acting “very hostile.”
Trump even hinted he might skip the meeting, though both sides ultimately agreed to proceed.
China remains the dominant global producer of rare earth elements, essential for manufacturing cars, smartphones, and many modern technologies.
