Trump And Xi Jinping Reunite In South Korea, Signal Hope For US-China Trade Breakthrough

Highlights

US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea for the first time during his second term, expressing optimism for a successful discussion aimed at easing trade tensions and restoring bilateral cooperation.

US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday morning in South Korea, marking their first face-to-face interaction since Trump’s return to the White House. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and was seen as a key step toward reducing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The leaders greeted each other warmly with smiles and a handshake before posing for photographs. Trump described Xi as “a great friend” and praised him as “a great leader of a great country,” expressing confidence that their talks would be productive. He added, “We’ve already agreed to many things and will agree to more today. I think this will lead to a fantastic relationship for years to come.”
Xi Jinping was accompanied by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The discussions come at a time when both nations are seeking to repair strained trade ties amid ongoing tariff disputes.
Before departing for South Korea, Trump suggested that the US might consider reducing tariffs on Chinese goods, hinting at cooperation over issues like fentanyl control. He also mentioned that discussions could include Nvidia’s Blackwell AI chips, which he described as “super duper.”
This meeting, the first since their 2019 encounter at the G20 summit in Japan, is expected to shape the next phase of US-China relations as both sides look for common ground on trade, technology, and global challenges.