Trump, Xi Weigh Meeting Around South Korea APEC Summit

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are considering holding their first in-person meeting since Trump returned to the White House, according to multiple sources cited by the South China Morning Post. The discussions centre on arranging talks either ahead of, or on the sidelines of, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for 30 October–1 November in Gyeongju, South Korea. Xi is expected to attend the gathering, while Trump’s participation has not yet been confirmed; one option under review is a separate visit by the U.S. president to China before the summit. The prospect of a leaders’ meeting follows a series of tentative steps to stabilise bilateral ties, which have been strained by Washington’s threat of tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese goods earlier this year. Earlier this month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held their first face-to-face talks, after which Rubio said there was “strong desire on both sides” for a presidential meeting. Xi and Trump also exchanged invitations to visit each other’s countries during a phone call in June. While no itinerary has been finalised, a meeting would provide an opportunity for the two presidents to advance a preliminary trade accord reached this spring that loosened Chinese rare-earth export controls and U.S. technology restrictions. Diplomats say the timing around the APEC summit offers the most practical window for direct talks this year.