SHR Media Staff Report

Busan, South Korea — U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Thursday on the sidelines of the APEC Summit 2025 in Busan, signaling an attempt to ease escalating trade tensions between their two countries.

The meeting is the first face-to-face summit between the two leaders since 2019. The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed the talks and described them as involving “in-depth communications on strategic and long-term issues.”

Key Surrounding Facts

• Trump arrived in Busan amid a heated trade dispute with China, including U.S. threats of 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods and China’s export controls on rare earths.
• A gesture of goodwill emerged when China’s state-owned firmCOFCO purchased three cargoes of U.S. soybeans — the first from this year’s harvest — ahead of the summit.
• On the U.S. side, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the 100 percent tariff threat is “off the table for now.”
• Trump publicly expressed optimism, saying he believes the meeting will “work out very very well for everybody.”
• In opening remarks, Xi said, “it feels very warm seeing you again because it’s been many years,” and acknowledged, “we do not always see eye to eye…it is normal for the two leading economies…to have frictions now and then.”

What’s On the Table

The agenda for the meeting primarily revolves around:
• U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, including possible reductions tied to Chinese cooperation on controlling fentanyl trafficking.
• China’s export controls on rare earth minerals and magnets, which have knock-on effects globally.
• Technology and manufacturing dominance, notably disputes over apps such as TikTok and algorithm oversight.
• Broader strategic and long-term issues, including the U.S.-China relationship beyond trade.

Why It Matters

This meeting comes at a delicate juncture: the two largest economies in the world are at odds over trade, technology and global influence. Markets have been volatile amid fears of further escalation. The summit offers a chance for de-escalation, but the long-standing structural issues remain entrenched.

The Asia Trip Wrap-Up

The Busan meeting capped off Trump’s week-long tour across Asia, which included stops in Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. During the trip, he met with regional allies to discuss trade realignment, maritime security and collective deterrence against North Korea’s latest missile tests. U.S. officials described the visit as “highly productive,” noting strengthened bilateral agreements and renewed economic partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Trump will now return to the United States after what the White House is calling “a long and successful trip.”

What to Watch

• Whether a formal or informal agreement is announced to reduce tariffs, ease export controls or resume large-scale U.S. exports (like soybeans) to China.
• The level of cooperation China is willing to commit to on non-trade issues such as fentanyl precursor controls and technology regulation.
• Follow-through: Both sides have optimistic language, but the proof will be in writing and implementation.
• Signals to global markets: Stabilization may boost investor confidence, while ambiguity or failure may reinvigorate economic risk.

Bottom Line

While optimism and goodwill gestures abound, the fundamentals remain unchanged. The United States and China still have deep differences. This summit may provide a diplomatic pause or framework for progress, but there is no guarantee of a major breakthrough. Both sides will likely claim wins, while the world watches to see if words translate into action.

— SHR Media, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Sources

Associated Press – “Trump and China’s Xi are meeting in South Korea to try to roll back months of trade tensions”
Reuters – “China confirms Xi, Trump will meet in South Korea on Thursday”
Reuters – “Trump seeks trade-war truce with China’s Xi in South Korea talks”
CBS News – “Trump and Xi to hold high-stakes meeting in South Korea”
Bloomberg – “Trump, Xi kick off pivotal trade talks at South Korea Summit”
Newsweek – “Trump and Chinese Leader, Xi Jinping, Meeting in South Korea for Trade Talks — Live Updates”
Fox News – “Trump, Xi meet in effort to resolve trade tensions sparked by U.S. tariffs”

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