United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, marking their first face-to-face meeting since 2019. This meeting, taking place in Gyeongju on October 30, 2025, is highly anticipated as both leaders aim to address ongoing tensions and trade disputes between the two largest economies in the world.

Trump’s visit to South Korea comes at the final leg of his Asia tour, which included stops in Malaysia and Japan. The primary focus during this trip has been trade and economic relations in the Pacific region. Trump is expected to use the meeting with Xi to try to ease the strain caused by tariffs and trade restrictions imposed over the past years. While Trump has expressed optimism that "a lot of problems" could be solved during their talks, experts remain cautious about expecting major breakthroughs, viewing any agreement more as a step toward managing competition than a comprehensive resolution.​

The APEC summit, hosted in the city of Gyeongju, brings together 21 member economies, including the US, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia, representing about 40% of the world's population and over half of global GDP. The forum aims to promote free trade and economic cooperation, though the past few years have seen increased tariff tensions, especially with Trump’s policies pushing for higher tariffs on goods from many member countries.

Apart from the high-profile meeting with Xi, Trump is also engaging with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and is expected to address business leaders at the summit. Key issues include finalizing trade deals with South Korea, where negotiations involve tariff rates and investment commitments. North Korea’s recent missile tests add complexity to the regional security environment, and Trump has voiced a desire to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though no meeting has been scheduled.​

From a broader perspective, the Trump-Xi meeting reflects the ongoing rivalry and cautious diplomacy between the US and China. While both leaders may agree on measures to prevent further escalations — such as pausing new tariffs and export controls — many analysts predict economic and strategic competition will continue. Issues like technology access, rare earth exports, digital regulations, and geopolitical influence remain points of contention unlikely to be fully resolved in a single meeting. The geopolitical landscape, with the US seeking to strengthen ties with allies like South Korea and Japan while managing China’s rising influence, means that these conversations are as much about signaling and positioning as about concrete agreements.

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In conclusion, the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the APEC summit is important as it may ease some tensions and help stabilize crucial trade relations. However, it is also clear that both sides have deep-rooted differences and competing interests that will continue to shape US-China relations. The summit serves as a platform for dialogue in a complex international landscape where economic interdependence coexists with rivalry and strategic caution.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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