Trump to meet Xi in South Korea as part of Asia swing

24/10/2025 7:17

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week as part of a trip to Asia, the White House said on Thursday, confirming the meeting which had been called into question following an escalation in trade tensions.



White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump departs for Malaysia late on Friday night and will also visit Japan and South Korea, where he will meet Xi next Thursday after addressing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit.



"On Thursday morning local time, President Trump will participate in a bilateral meeting with President Xi of the People's Republic of China, before departing to return home," Leavitt said.



He will also meet Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday, Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Busan on Wednesday.



A U.S.-China trade war, which had been simmering for months, exploded into full view in early October, after Beijing dramatically expanded curbs on exports of rare earths minerals.