WASHINGTON/SEOUL: US President Donald Trump departed Washington on Friday for a high-stakes Asia trip, aiming to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and possibly North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump is scheduled to meet Xi in South Korea on the final day of his regional tour, with the goal of sealing a deal to end the ongoing US-China trade war. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said he expected a “very good meeting” and anticipated China would act to avoid the implementation of 100 percent tariffs set for November 1.
The US leader also suggested a potential meeting with Kim Jong Un during his visit to the Korean peninsula. “I would. If you want to put out the word, I’m open to it,” Trump said, adding that he had maintained a “great relationship” with the North Korean leader. The two last met in Hanoi in 2019.
Trump’s first stop is Malaysia on Sunday for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. He is expected to sign a trade deal with Malaysia and oversee a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia. He also plans to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the summit.
Next, Trump will visit Japan, arriving in Tokyo on Monday. He will meet newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, an ally of the late Shinzo Abe. Japan largely avoided the brunt of US tariffs imposed under Trump’s previous administration.
The trip’s highlight will be South Korea, where Trump will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. In Busan and Gyeongju, he will meet President Lee Jae Myung, address an APEC lunch with business leaders, and meet US technology executives.
Trump and Xi are set to meet on Thursday, marking their first engagement since Trump’s return to the White House. Observers will closely watch whether the two can halt the trade war, particularly after tensions over Beijing’s rare-earth export curbs. Fentanyl trafficking and cooperation on Latin American drug cartels are also expected to be discussed.
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