Trump: "A Trade Agreement Is Possible"
Xi: "China’s Development Goes Hand in Hand with the U.S. Vision"
The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is expected to become a watershed moment in international affairs, began on October 30 at Naraemaru, Gimhae Air Base in Busan.
This meeting marks the first encounter between President Trump and President Xi since the start of Trump’s second term. The two leaders are sitting down together for the first time in six years and four months, since their last summit at the G20 meeting held in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019. As this is their first direct negotiation since the onset of the “full-scale tariff war,” attention is focused on whether the two countries will ease their trade conflict or if tensions will escalate further.
Before the commemorative photo session, President Trump greeted President Xi by extending his hand first. Shaking hands, President Trump said, “It’s good to see you again,” to which President Xi responded, “Likewise.”
President Trump stated, “We are going to have a very successful meeting, and I have no doubt about it.” He then jokingly referred to President Xi as a “very tough negotiator,” adding, “That’s not good.”
President Trump remarked, “We know each other well. We have always had an excellent relationship.” When asked by reporters whether he could sign a trade agreement with China that day, he replied, “It’s possible.”
The opening remarks by both leaders focused on emphasizing the willingness to cooperate and improve relations between the U.S. and China. President Trump said, “We have already agreed on many issues, and I believe we will reach even more agreements in the future. President Xi is a great leader of a great country, and I believe we will continue to maintain an excellent relationship for a long time to come.”
President Xi stated, “Even though there are various headwinds, setbacks, and challenges, the U.S.-China relationship must continue moving in the right direction together.” He added, “Overall, the U.S.-China relationship has remained very stable. Since our national circumstances are always different, there may be times when we do not agree, and that is normal.”
He also expressed his willingness to cooperate with the United States. “China is ready to work with the United States, and the U.S. and China should be friends,” he said. “China’s development goes hand in hand with the ‘Make America Great Again’ vision.”
President Xi also listed President Trump’s achievements, including brokering a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the border agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, saying, “President Trump is sincere about world peace and is deeply interested in various global hotspots.”
He emphasized that China and the United States, as major global powers, bear significant responsibility for world affairs, and said, “We hope to continue making contributions for both our countries and the world, and I hope today’s discussions will be productive for important issues concerning both nations and the world.”
After their opening remarks, the two leaders immediately entered a closed-door meeting. The main focus of this U.S.-China summit is whether to extend the ultra-high tariff suspension, which is set to expire in mid-November. Attention is also on China’s recently announced measures to strengthen controls on rare earth exports and the possibility that the U.S. may postpone its planned 100% additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Previously, on October 26, high-level delegations from both countries reached a consensus on ways to ease trade disputes during trade talks held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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