Trump gearing up for meeting with Xi – CNN

The potential talks could take place in October in South Korea, the network has reported

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet in October in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, CNN reported on Saturday, citing sources. This comes amid trade tensions between the two countries.

According to three unnamed Trump administration officials, the president and his top advisers “are quietly preparing” to travel to the APEC meeting and hold talks with the trade ministers of member states. The APEC summit is scheduled for late October to early November in Gyeongju, South Korea.

The officials added that “there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting” between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of the forum, but “no firm plans are in place.”

Trade tensions between the US and China have been running high. In early 2025, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods, prompting reciprocal tariffs of 125% from Beijing. The two countries agreed in May, however, to a temporary tariff truce, which has been extended to mid-November.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last month that the current arrangement was “working pretty well,” adding that the sides were holding “very good talks” and are likely to meet again before the truce expires.

The CNN report noted that Trump’s presence in the region could open the door to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the first since 2019, although it is unclear whether he will attend. US officials told the network that more emphasis is being placed on meeting with Xi.

This comes in the wake of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China. Commenting on the gathering on Truth Social, Trump remarked, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China.” He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim are “conspiring” against the US, after the two leaders held talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected speculation of any plots against the US, suggesting that Trump’s remarks should not be taken literally.

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