In a high-stakes moment of US-China relations, former President Donald Trump has reiterated that he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea “in a couple of weeks,” even as the two nations lock horns over tariffs and export controls.
Trump made the announcement during an interview, stating: “We’re going to meet in a couple of weeks. We’re going to meet in South Korea, actually with President Xi … we have a separate meeting.”
The summit is expected to take place on the sidelines of the APEC Summit, scheduled for late October in Gyeongju, South Korea.
This commitment comes as U.S.-China trade tensions mount. Trump recently warned of imposing 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods in response to Beijing’s sweeping new export controls on rare earth materials and critical technology.
Yet in a notable rhetorical shift, he described such steep levies as “not sustainable,” adding that “they forced me to do that” given China’s tightening trade restrictions.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking to media outlets, has emphasised that the summit is still expected to proceed despite the tariff threats.
He noted that U.S. and Chinese officials have been in regular contact to coordinate logistics and maintain open diplomatic channels. Bessent underscored that both nations are seeking to avoid further escalation.
Washington and Beijing now face a narrow window ahead of the 10 November deadline, when several existing tariff standstills lapse.
Analysts are closely watching whether this meeting can defuse tensions or reshape the trajectory of global trade.
For his part, Trump has recast the narrative, emphasising his personal rapport with Xi: “I get along great with him … I think we’re going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal,” he said.
He maintains the meeting offers a chance to recalibrate U.S.-China ties “on more equitable terms.”
Still, uncertainty lingers. Earlier in the week, Trump apparently floated cancelling the meeting in frustration at Beijing’s export restrictions.
But by the weekend, his tone softened, suggesting he viewed the meeting as essential to keep “lines of communication” open.
The South Korea meeting would mark the first in-person encounter between Trump and Xi since Trump’s return to office.
For many observers, its success or failure may signal whether trade war escalation can be averted, or if the two powers are hurtling toward deeper confrontation.
Sources: South China Morning Post, Yonhap News Agency, Reuters, AP News
