Busan [South Korea], October 30 (ANI): US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person on Thursday in Busan, South Korea, marking their first face-to-face interaction since Trump’s return to the White House and their first meeting since the 2019 Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
The high-stakes bilateral meeting took place ahead of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, set for October 31 to November 1 in Gyeongju. Both leaders greeted each other with a handshake on a red carpet lined with US and Chinese flags before beginning discussions focused on trade, tariffs, and regional stability.
At the start of the meeting, Trump welcomed Xi warmly, saying, “An honour to have you with us,” setting a positive tone for the talks. Later, he described Xi as a “very tough negotiator,” acknowledging the challenging nature of their discussions while expressing optimism about achieving progress.
The Busan engagement comes as Washington and Beijing work to stabilise strained relations following months of trade tensions marked by tariffs, export restrictions, and economic retaliation. Trump’s second-term trade measures, including a 20 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, have heightened the need for constructive dialogue, while Beijing’s curbs on rare earth exports have added pressure for resolution.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to South Korea, Trump said he expected an upcoming agreement with China to resolve “a lot of problems,” including steps to curb fentanyl production. “I expect to be lowering tariffs because I believe they’re going to help us with the fentanyl situation,” Trump told reporters, adding that “the relationship with China is very good.”
US officials have suggested that a potential deal could include a rollback of tariffs, a deferral of China’s planned export controls on rare earth minerals, and increased Chinese purchases of American agricultural products. The arrangement could also address US concerns over the production and export of chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed that Xi would hold “in-depth communication on strategic, long-term issues related to China-US relations and major issues of common concern.” According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi arrived in South Korea earlier Thursday morning to attend the APEC leaders’ summit and to pay a state visit at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
Before the Busan meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling the event the “G2,” emphasizing the global economic weight of the United States and China compared to blocs like the G7 and G20.
Just hours prior to the meeting, Trump stirred global attention by announcing that he had instructed the Department of War to resume nuclear weapons testing. In his social media post, he wrote, “The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country… Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.”
The announcement added a dramatic backdrop to the bilateral talks, where trade, security, and strategic stability dominated discussions. Trump had earlier told a business luncheon on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju that he expected to secure a “great deal” with China—one that would be “good for both countries and something very exciting for everybody.”
“That’s really a great result. That’s better than fighting and going through all sorts of problems. No reason for it,” Trump said, emphasizing cooperation over confrontation.
The Busan meeting drew global attention as both nations sought to find common ground amid rising economic and geopolitical challenges, signaling cautious optimism for a potential breakthrough in China-US relations. (ANI)
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