The U.S. president will hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart on October 30
The most anticipated point of the trip will be the APEC summit in Seoul, where Trump and Xi will discuss bilateral and global issues. The American president has shown caution, alternating tough statements about possible new tariffs with calls for dialogue.
The White House has confirmed that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on October 30 in South Korea, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Presidential spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that the meeting will take place on Thursday morning, before Trump's return to Washington.
This meeting will be the first face-to-face between the two leaders since Trump's return to the White House, in a context marked by tariffs and trade disputes between the world's two largest economies. According to the president, his goal is "to reach a good deal with China and put an end to the trade war."
The American president's trip includes stops in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, focusing on trade and international security issues.
Trump will begin his agenda at the ASEAN summit, where he plans to sign a trade agreement with Malaysia and support a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. A bilateral meeting with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, could also take place, seeking to restore the bilateral relationship.
In Tokyo, Trump will meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, with whom he will address cooperation in defense and energy, two sensitive points of U.S. foreign policy. Japan, which has largely avoided tariffs imposed by Washington, faces pressure to reduce its energy dependence on Russia.
Trump indicated that he will seek a broad agreement with China and that he hopes Xi can influence Vladimir Putin to help end the conflict in Ukraine.
The meeting could mark a new chapter in Washington–Beijing relations, with direct implications for the global economic and geopolitical balance.
Trump's return to the Asian stage reaffirms the United States' leadership in the region, as it seeks to consolidate strategic alliances and address common challenges, from energy security to trade stability.
The outcome of the meeting between Trump and Xi will be closely watched by markets, diplomats, and world leaders, aware that much of the political and economic climate at the end of 2025 will depend on its result.
