US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ meeting in South Korea this October.Trump and his senior advisers are “quietly preparing” for the two-day event in Gyeongju on October 31 and November 1, an administration official told CNN.“A visit to South Korea is being discussed, with the focus on economic collaboration,” the official said. “There have been serious talks about a possible bilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC, but no firm plans have been made.”In a phone call last month, Xi invited Donald and Melania Trump to visit China — an invitation Trump reciprocated, though no dates have been fixed. Preparations for the South Korea trip are still being finalised, and it remains unclear whether he may add other stops.Also Read | ‘Never intimidated by any bullies’: Xi Jinping sends strong message to Donald Trump; flaunts China’s might with Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong UnThe official further said the administration also views the visit as a chance for the president to secure new economic investments in the United States, a priority he has pursued on recent trips abroad, including to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung extended an invitation to Trump for the APEC summit during a meeting with him last week.A potential Trump–Xi encounter would come against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions, with Beijing a prime target of Washington’s tariff strategy. Both sides have been engaged in negotiations, including two in-person rounds in Europe between top economic advisers.Also Read | ‘Lost India, Russia to deepest, darkest China’: Trump’s cryptic post amid tariff row; wishes for ‘prosperous’ futureTrump had imposed a 145 per cent tariff on Chinese imports in April, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125 per cent levy on American goods. While those higher rates were set to snap back last month, Trump signed an executive order pausing them until November as talks continue.
