Trump’s Possible Visit to China Ahead of APEC Summit

According to a report from the South China Morning Post, President Trump might travel to China before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit set to take place from October 30 to November 1. Alternatively, he might have a chance to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an APEC event in South Korea.

The U.S. and China are currently in negotiations to resolve an ongoing and aggressive tariff conflict, which has dramatically affected global trade and supply chains.

Although discussions about potential meetings between regional leaders have occurred this year, sources familiar with the matter indicate that specific dates and locations have yet to be finalized.

Trump has been actively pushing for tariffs on nearly all imports, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing. Critics argue that this approach has led to higher consumer prices for American families.

The President has proposed a standard 10% tariff on foreign goods, with the steepest rates reserved for countries deemed most problematic, like China. Currently, China faces a hefty 55% tariff rate.

Trump has set an August 12 deadline for both nations to form a lasting tariff agreement.

A spokesperson for Trump did not provide comments regarding the planned meeting with Xi this fall.

The last high-level discussions between the two countries took place on July 11. During these talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described their meeting in Malaysia as productive regarding trade negotiations moving forward.

Rubio noted that Trump was invited to visit China to meet with Xi, and both leaders expressed hope that such a meeting would materialize.

On Friday, China’s Commerce Minister emphasized the importance of stabilizing trade relations with the U.S., mentioning that recent discussions in Europe highlighted the absence of necessity for a tariff war.