Trump–Xi Meeting Likely at APEC Summit or During China Visit Ahead of Trade Deadline: Report.
US President Donald Trump may meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping either during a visit to China or on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled from October 30 to November 1 in South Korea, according to a report by the South China Morning Post, citing multiple sources.
The potential meeting comes amid renewed efforts by both nations to resolve a long-running tariff standoff that has disrupted global trade flows and supply chains.
Trump has proposed sweeping tariffs on nearly all foreign goods, including a base tariff of 10% and significantly higher rates on imports from what he calls “problematic” countries — with Chinese imports currently facing a peak rate of 55%. He argues the strategy will spur domestic manufacturing, though critics warn it could sharply raise consumer prices in the US.
According to Reuters, Trump has set an August 12 deadline for the US and China to finalize a long-term agreement on tariffs. The most recent high-level contact between the two sides took place on July 11, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Malaysia that both described as “productive.”
Rubio also confirmed that Trump had been invited to visit China, adding that both leaders are keen for a face-to-face meeting. “There is a high probability that President Trump and President Xi will meet this year,” he said, noting a “strong desire on both sides.”
Meanwhile, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said Beijing hopes to stabilize trade ties with Washington, and emphasized during recent talks in Europe that “a tariff war is unnecessary.”
A Trump–Xi summit, whether before or during the APEC meet, would mark the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the tariff war intensified earlier this year.
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