US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week as part of a trip to Asia, with the White House confirming the meeting, which had been called into question following an escalation in trade tensions.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Trump departs for Malaysia late on Friday night and will also visit Japan and South Korea, where he will meet Xi next Thursday after addressing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit.
President Trump is set to engage in a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday morning, local time, according to a statement by Leavitt. Following the crucial talks, Trump will head back to the United States.
He will also meet Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday, Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Busan on Wednesday.
A US-China trade war, which had been simmering for months, exploded into full view in early October, after Beijing dramatically expanded curbs on exports of rare earths minerals.
In recent weeks, Trump has oscillated from threatening retaliatory tariffs and other measures against China to expressing optimism about the potential for a trade agreement. This shift reflects the intricate dance of international negotiations where economic interests and diplomatic relations often intersect.
“I think we’re going to come out very well, and everyone’s going to be very happy,” Trump said of the meeting later on Thursday.
Those comments have been in contrast to more strident remarks from his top trade negotiator and finance chief, who were headed to Asia on Wednesday to keep Trump’s meeting with Xi, the first of his second term, on track.
Trump said the first question he would ask the Chinese leader would be about fentanyl.
Amid these discussions, tensions between Washington and Beijing have been further strained over the issue of fentanyl. The U.S. has accused China of not adequately controlling the flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, a potent opioid responsible for a significant number of overdose deaths in America. Meanwhile, China has staunchly defended its efforts in drug control and has criticized the U.S. for allegedly using the fentanyl crisis as leverage in diplomatic negotiations.
The White House used the flow of the chemicals from China as one justification for increasing tariffs on Chinese goods.
“The first question I’m going to be asking him about is fentanyl,” Trump said.
“I’m putting it right at the front of the list.”
