ASEAN Kicks Off a Fast-Paced Multilateral Summit Week
U.S. and Chinese Leaders to Make State Visits for Gyeongju APEC
Korea-U.S. Summit on the 29th, Korea-China Summit on November 1
Intense Final-Stage Tariff Negotiations
First U.S.-Ch
The upcoming "Multilateral Summit Super Week," which President Lee Jaemyung will attend starting on the 26th, is expected to be a watershed moment that will determine the direction of the global order, spanning the fields of economics, diplomacy, trade, and international politics. President Lee is set to embark on a whirlwind diplomatic schedule, beginning with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and continuing through to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The second Korea-U.S. summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, which is anticipated to be a turning point in the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, will take place in Gyeongju on the 29th.
Wi Sungrak, Director of the National Security Office, stated during a press briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan on the 24th, "President Lee will visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 26th for a two-day, one-night trip to attend the ASEAN Summit." On the 27th, President Lee will hold a summit with the Prime Minister of Cambodia to discuss the development of a strategic partnership and cooperation in responding to scam crimes. Afterward, he will return to Korea to prepare for the APEC summit.
Additionally, starting on the 29th, President Lee will attend the "APEC CEO Summit" and fulfill his schedule for the APEC summit, including hosting U.S. President Donald Trump on a state visit. From October 31 to November 1, he will participate as the chair country’s president at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, holding multilateral and bilateral meetings with leaders from major countries, including China and the United States.
In this regard, the White House announced on the 23rd (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump will depart from the United States at 11 p.m. on the 25th, travel through Malaysia and Japan, and arrive in Korea on the 29th. His visit to Korea will last for two days and one night. On the day of his arrival, he will hold a summit with President Lee, deliver a keynote speech at the APEC CEO luncheon, and attend the APEC leaders’ working dinner that evening. On the morning of the 30th, he will hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and return to the United States that evening.
Particularly, global attention is focused on the first U.S.-China summit to be held under Trump’s second administration. It has been nearly eleven months since the leaders of the U.S. and China last met face-to-face. The main point of interest is whether this summit will bring an end to the U.S.-China trade war. President Trump is highly optimistic about the outcome of his meeting with President Xi. On the 22nd at the White House, he told reporters, "We are looking forward to this. I believe something will be resolved."
Regarding the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, intense last-minute bargaining is expected to continue. Kim Yongbeom, Chief Policy Officer at the Presidential Office, and Kim Jeonggwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, returned to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 24th after completing their visit to the United States for tariff negotiations.
Chief Kim stated, "While differences have been narrowed in many areas, one or two of the most important issues remain at the end," adding, "Further face-to-face negotiations will be difficult, and now is the stage to organize the remaining tasks." He emphasized, "Ultimately, a political decision between the leaders is needed at this point." The final round of negotiations focused on adjusting the exchange ratio for tariff reduction conditions and the method of executing investment funds. Minister Kim commented, "This round of talks was a process of specifying the structure for investment implementation and the technical financial conditions."
Meanwhile, the APEC CEO Summit, which will be held for four days at the Gyeongju Arts Center starting on the 28th, will be attended by President Trump, President Xi, and other world leaders, as well as CEOs of major global companies. The summit will bring together 16 heads of state from among the 21 APEC member economies and more than 1,700 global business leaders to discuss the direction of the world economy at the intersection of technology, industry, and diplomacy under the theme "Bridge, Business, Beyond-Connection, Growth, and Beyond."
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