China28 October, 20252 min read
Trump and Xi Jinping Meet in South Korea to Negotiate End to US-China Trade War Amid Geopolitical Tensions
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Trump and Xi Jinping met in South Korea during the APEC Summit for bilateral talks. Discussions focused on ending the US-China trade war by addressing tariffs.
6 outlets told this the same way.
Trump and Xi Meeting at APEC
At the APEC gatherings in South Korea, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set for their first in-person meeting since Trump’s second term began. The talks are framed as high-stakes amid an ongoing trade war and widening geopolitical frictions. The APEC Ministerial Meeting opened in Gyeongju, convening 21 economies and setting the stage for leaders’ talks that could shape a joint declaration.
“US President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday in South Korea during the APEC Summit, marking their first meeting since Trump’s second term began.”
The Trump–Xi bilateral is flagged as a key highlight that could influence the final text. Western mainstream coverage stresses how the trade war has been sharpened by U.S. tariffs and China’s recent curbs on rare earths. These issues are pressure points both sides plan to address in the meeting.
Trade Tensions and Rare Earths
On the trade front, The Indian Express reports a tentative softening with a preliminary consensus from Kuala Lumpur discussions and the removal of the threatened 100% tariff if no deal emerged by November 1. By contrast, both Yonhap and The Guardian highlight rare earths as an immediate flashpoint due to export restrictions and countermoves. China has imposed export restrictions on rare earths, prompting the U.S. to pursue supply deals elsewhere.
Washington is also pushing at APEC to label such export curbs as "economic coercion." China argues for stronger multilateralism and opposes unilateral U.S. tariffs, framing the dispute within WTO-centered rules.
US-China Geopolitical Agenda
Beyond tariffs and minerals, The Guardian says the Trump–Xi agenda will range across geopolitics. This includes possible US–China coordination over the war in Ukraine amid fresh U.S. sanctions on Russia that China opposes. Taiwan is another key issue, where the U.S. maintains recognition of Beijing while backing Taipei’s self-defense.
“The meeting will also cover broader geopolitical issues, including US-China cooperation on Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that Taiwan will not be traded away for a deal. Hong Kong is also highlighted, with Trump pointing to Jimmy Lai’s case as emblematic of a crackdown on freedoms. Asian outlets keep the focus wider and more procedural.
Yonhap frames APEC’s goals as boosting trade cooperation and regional security. The Indian Express keeps attention on the tense diplomatic backdrop to the talks.
APEC Meeting and US-China Relations
Yonhap cautions that agreement on the APEC declaration is uncertain due to sharp differences over multilateral rules and language on China’s curbs. The leaders’ first bilateral meeting during APEC could influence the final text of the declaration. The Indian Express highlights that Trump and Xi aim to use the meeting to chart a path forward after a preliminary consensus removed the 100% tariff threat.
The Guardian reports that Trump plans to raise the issue of rare earths directly with Xi while pursuing alternative supply deals. This indicates that core tensions remain even as both sides explore ways to ease the situation.
