Trump Anticipates Positive Meeting with Xi on Trade Issues

President Donald Trump expressed optimism about his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is set to focus on agriculture and previous trade agreements. He suggested that both countries would need to compromise for a new deal to materialize.

These remarks were made during his flight on Air Force One as he heads to Malaysia, expected to arrive either late Saturday night Eastern time or Sunday morning local time. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt mentioned earlier this week that Trump and Xi will meet on Thursday, the final day of the President’s Asia tour.

When asked about his expectations for the Thursday meeting with Xi, Trump noted, “There’s a lot of things to talk about, including farmers.” He emphasized the range of discussions regarding past trade deals—some honored, some not. “We really have a lot to talk about. I think it’s going to be a very good meeting.”

A reporter inquired whether China would need to concede in order to finalize a trade agreement with the U.S. Trump acknowledged, “They have to make concessions, and so will we. We have a 157 percent tariff on them. I don’t think that’s sustainable for them, and they want to lower it. And we’re asking them for certain things…I think that’s a very good thing.”

The additional 157% tariffs are set to be applied starting November 1, following Trump’s inauguration. On October 10, he indicated he would impose similarly high tariffs after China announced tighter export controls.

In a post on Truth Social, he referred to China’s actions as “completely unprecedented in international trade and morally shameful.” When questioned about the likelihood of these tariffs being enacted, Trump hesitated, stating, “I don’t want to predict probabilities,” but added, “I don’t think they want that. It’s not good for them.”

Trump’s schedule in Asia is quite hectic, with visits to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Besides meeting with Xi, he also plans to engage with leaders from the three countries, as well as the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia.