Trump Meets Xi: Trade War on Top of Talks 

By Staff, Agencies 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a high-level meeting on Thursday in Busan, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation [APEC] summit, in a renewed effort to resolve longstanding US-China trade tensions.

The meeting marked the first direct encounter between the two leaders since 2019, when they last met during the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. This round of talks took place at Gimhae Air Base, near Busan’s international airport.

During the meeting, Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of cooperation over confrontation, saying “Despite our differences, China and the United States should strive to be partners and friends,” he said, expressing readiness to work on building a stable foundation for bilateral ties and to support peace talks on pressing global issues.

He also praised Trump’s role in contributing to the recent ceasefire in Gaza, calling it a positive gesture in regional diplomacy.

For his part, Trump described Xi as a “strong negotiator” and said both sides had already agreed on many points. His comments suggested the potential to revive economic cooperation following years of trade restrictions and political strain.

According to Reuters, Xi stated that the two countries’ trade teams had reached a “basic consensus”, indicating forward movement in the negotiations.

Chinese media reported that the closed-door session lasted approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, with both leaders reaffirming the importance of continued dialogue.