President Donald Trump believes his upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping will be “great for everybody.” Speaking in Japan ahead of his trip to South Korea, Trump confidently predicted the high-stakes talks “is going to work out very well.”
The two leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. This summit is a key focus of Trump’s Asia trip, which has centered on trade and asserting American economic influence.
The meeting is set against a backdrop of renewed trade friction. A recent calm was shattered when China expanded its export controls on rare earths. The US retaliated with a threat of new 100% tariffs on Chinese goods, set to begin November 1.
Furthermore, the US has pressed forward with additional port fees on Chinese ships, prompting Beijing to respond with its own set of countermeasures. This escalation makes the APEC meeting particularly critical.
“That’s a big meeting,” Trump stated, reaffirming his positive outlook. He indicated that both sides have significant issues to discuss, saying, “I have a lot to talk about… the Chinese leader also has a lot to talk about with us.”