President Donald Trump is preparing to travel to South Korea in late October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a trip that could set the stage for crucial meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and possibly North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump Eyes Xi Jinping Meeting At APEC Summit
The White House is finalizing details for Trump's visit to Gyeongju, where trade ministers from across the Asia-Pacific region will gather, according to CNN.
While the summit centers on economic cooperation, U.S. officials say the focus is shifting toward a potential bilateral session with Xi.
"A visit to South Korea is being discussed, which would focus on economic collaboration," a White House official said, adding that talks would also address "trade, defense and civil nuclear cooperation."
Trump Signals Openness To Kim Jong Un Talks
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung invited Trump to attend the summit and suggested it could provide an opening to meet Kim.
Trump publicly signaled interest, telling reporters, "I will do that, and we'll have talks. He'd like to meet with me."
The visit comes just weeks after Xi hosted Kim, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing, a move Trump criticized on social media while still claiming he maintains strong ties with the leaders.
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Trump's Taiwan Assurance And Criticism Over Tariffs
Last month, Trump said Xi had personally assured him that China would not invade Taiwan while Trump remained in office, despite ongoing trade, technology, and geopolitical tensions.
Trump recalled Xi's direct pledge, quoting him as saying, "I will never do it as long as you're president," and expressed confidence that no invasion would occur during his presidency.
China has long claimed Taiwan as part of its territory and vowed to reunify it by force if necessary, a stance firmly rejected by Taiwan.
This week, former national security adviser John Bolton sharply criticized Trump's tariff strategy, arguing it had undermined decades of Western efforts to draw India closer and counter China's rise.
Bolton's remarks came as Modi met Putin and Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China.
He posted on social media that Trump's unwillingness to consider diplomatic moves in a broader strategic context had allowed Xi to "reset the East," adding that the West's decades-long efforts to steer India away from Cold War ties with Russia had been "shredded" by Trump's tariff policies.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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