Trump and Xi starting a memorable summit in South Korea. It was their first in-person meeting in six years. The convening was hosted at the country’s largest airbase, located in the bustling, coastal city of Busan. Both leaders sought to address the increasing hostility between their countries.
The discussions are one of the most important stages as both countries try to reset the tumultuous dynamic between superpowers United States and China. In exchange, both countries have shot tit-for-tat tariffs back and forth during a turbulent trade war in recent years. This intensifying trade war has greatly increased tariffs and export restrictions. The leaders’ discussions were expected to cover critical topics, including China’s purchases of American soybeans and the future of the popular social media platform TikTok in the U.S.
At the time, in his opening remarks, Trump lavished praise on Xi – even going so far as calling him a “great leader of a great country.” This feeling is entirely complimentary to the mood that Trump himself has hoped to encourage in their negotiations. Xi returned the favor, saying it was a “great pleasure” to meet again after “many years of separation.”
“We do not always see eye to eye with each other, and it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then … you and I at the helm of China-US relations should stay the right course.” – Xi Jinping
The backdrop to this meeting is a $375 billion trade deficit which has dangerously stoked tensions in the region. Yet both countries continue to wrestle with these challenges. The U.S. especially, though, is interested in maintaining national security in the face of what it views as a more aggressive China. To that end, the U.S. in recent months has greatly increased restrictions on China’s access to advanced technologies, including semiconductors.
The four leaders will address problems in global trade. They’ll tackle urgent issues on the global stage, such as the war in Ukraine and growing tensions over Taiwan. The stakes are high, as both nations continue to pursue avenues for greater predictability in their bilateral relations. China has been particularly adamant about getting to this goal.
This meeting will take place alongside Trump’s own five-day, three-country visit to Asia, as the unrelated US plan to boost diplomatic relations in the region. Recent meetings between U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators suggested we might have found a framework for more effectively navigating U.S.-China relations.
Trump expressed optimism about the future of U.S.-China ties, stating, “we’re going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time.” This comment serves to highlight his desire that positive collaboration will result from their talks.
