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

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week during a visit to Asia, the White House confirmed on Thursday, ending speculation after recent tensions over trade.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Trump will depart for Malaysia late on Friday night. His trip will also include stops in Japan and South Korea, with the meeting with President Xi scheduled for next Thursday following Trump’s address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit.

“On Thursday morning local time, President Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with President Xi of the People’s Republic of China before returning home,” Leavitt said.

The President’s itinerary begins on Sunday with a meeting with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a working dinner with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He will then travel to Tokyo on Monday to meet Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Trump heads to South Korea, where he will meet President Lee Jae Myung, deliver keynote remarks at a luncheon for business leaders on the sidelines of the APEC summit, and later attend a U.S.–APEC leaders’ working dinner.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have intensified since early October, when China significantly expanded restrictions on exports of rare-earth minerals. Trump swiftly threatened retaliatory tariffs and other measures, but in recent days has sounded more optimistic about achieving a trade agreement.

“I think we’re going to come out very well, and everyone’s going to be very happy,” Trump said on Thursday, striking a more positive tone than his top trade and finance officials, who are in Asia to ensure the meeting with Xi — the first of Trump’s second term — proceeds as planned.

Trump added that the first issue he intends to raise with President Xi will be fentanyl. Washington has long accused Beijing of failing to prevent the export of precursor chemicals used to produce the drug, which has driven overdose deaths in the United States. China, in turn, has rejected the accusation and accused Washington of using the issue to “blackmail” Beijing.

The White House has cited the flow of these chemicals from China as one of the reasons for increasing tariffs on Chinese imports.

“The first question I’m going to be asking him about is fentanyl,” Trump said. “I’m putting it right at the top of the list.”

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