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Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in person for the first time in six years on Thursday morning in South Korea, setting the stage for a pivotal encounter.
During their interaction, Xi addressed the ongoing ‘frictions’ between their nations, while Trump humorously referred to Xi as a ‘tough negotiator.’
This handshake represented the first direct contact between these two global leaders since Trump initiated a trade conflict with China shortly after resuming office, imposing an extra 10 percent tariff on imports.
The meeting, which spanned less than two hours, carried significant implications for both countries. The leaders exchanged polite remarks, maintaining a cordial demeanor, yet exercised caution throughout their discussions.
“Considering our differing national circumstances, it is understandable that we don’t always agree, and it’s common for the world’s two leading economies to experience some friction,” Xi remarked as they commenced talks at an air base in Busan, South Korea.
And Trump insisted: ‘We’ve already agreed to a lot of things and we’ll agree to some more right now.’
Trump needs a political win on the foreign stage after his peace deal between Israel and Hamas began to fall apart and talks for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia hit a standstill this month.
The president blasted off a social media post just moments before his consequential meeting with Xi announcing his direction for the Department of War to begin nuclear weapon testing ‘immediately.’ He specifically called out needing to meet the level of testing made by Russia and China.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met face-to-face for the first time in six years on Thursday, October 30, 2025 during a meeting in Busan
‘Given our different national conditions, 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 every now and then,’ Xi said as he sat down for negotiations with Trump in Busan
And while Trump relies on flattery to build relationships with adversarial world leaders, he also had a quick quip for Xi right after they shook hands.
‘I think he’s a very tough negotiator. That’s not good,’ he chuckled.
Trump added: ‘We’ll have a great understanding. We have a good relationship.’
Meanwhile, Xi called their relationship ‘warm.’
‘Since your reelection we have spoken on the phone three times, exchanged several letters and stayed in close contact,’ he said, according to a live translation of his short remarks.
‘You and I, at the helm of U.S.-China relations, should stay the right course,’ Xi insisted.
After and hour-and-40-minute meeting, the two world leaders and their delegations emerged from the building in Busan, shook hands and Trump leaned in to say something to Xi before they parted ways.
The two did not make any public remarks after their bilateral sit-down.
The president has been highly critical of Xi in his second term and went to his social media site Truth Social to link the Chinese leader to Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean autocrat Kim Jong Un.
But Xi arrived at the meeting with a powerful negotiating hand given China produces 80 to 90 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals, which are essential for America’s high-tech industry.
Trump and Xi made short remarks at the table with their teams at the Gimhae Air Base in South Korea on October 30, 2025
The US has now discovered Beijing can survive without its farmers’ soybeans since they can import from South America instead, Trump realizes that his country cannot thrive technology-wise without the rare earths from China.
Trump and Xi agreed to meet on the Gimhae South Korean Air Base sitting at the edge of the Gimhae International Airport.
Among Trump’s team attending the high-stakes meeting in Busan are Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and Trade Advisor Jamieson Greer.
The president jetted off last week for a weeklong trip through Asia – starting in Malaysia, then to Japan and finishing off in South Korea with his Xi meeting.