High-stakes APEC: Trump to visit South Korea, possible meetings with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un

The timing of Trump’s expected Asia trip comes against a tense backdrop.

US President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly preparing for a visit to South Korea in late October to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, three Trump administration officials told CNN. The summit runs into early November and is being billed as a critical diplomatic stage for Trump to reassert his presence in Asia.

Details are still being finalised, and it remains unclear if Trump will add other stops to the itinerary. According to officials, the White House views the visit as a chance to secure new economic investments in the United States, a theme that has defined Trump’s recent overseas trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Xi Jinping meeting under discussion

Officials told CNN that serious discussions are underway about a bilateral meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of APEC. No firm plan has been set, but the two leaders exchanged invitations during a phone call last month.

Xi invited Trump and the First Lady to visit China, and Trump reciprocated, though neither side has locked in dates. White House officials say trade, defence, and civil nuclear cooperation would dominate the agenda if the meeting happens.

Kim Jong Un's possibility

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung personally invited Trump to the APEC summit last week and suggested it could serve as a venue for a Trump-Kim Jong Un encounter, sources familiar with the talks told CNN.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trump said he was open to talks with Kim. “I will do that, and we’ll have talks. He’d like to meet with me,” Trump said. “We look forward to meeting with him, and we’ll make relations better.”

Officials, however, stressed that more energy is currently being placed on arranging a meeting with Xi rather than Kim.

Frictions with Xi and Kim

The timing of Trump’s expected Asia trip comes against a tense backdrop. This week, Xi hosted Kim, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing for a military parade, a show of force Trump mocked online.

“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America,” Trump wrote on social media.

He later posted a photo of Xi, Putin, and Modi, quipping: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

Still, Trump softened his tone when speaking from the Oval Office, calling the parade a “beautiful ceremony” and “very impressive.” He added, “My relationship with all of them is very good. We’re going to find out how good it is over the next week or two.”

Trade war casts shadow

A potential Trump-Xi sit-down would come as Washington and Beijing remain locked in tariff negotiations. Trump imposed a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports in April, triggering a 125 percent retaliatory levy by Beijing.

Those tariffs were due to snap back last month, but Trump signed an executive order postponing the higher rates until November to allow trade talks to continue. US and Chinese officials have already held two rounds of in-person negotiations in Europe.

North Korea uncertainty

Whether Trump and Kim meet in South Korea is still uncertain. A New York Times report last week about a botched 2019 Navy SEAL mission in North Korea that left unarmed civilians dead has complicated the picture. Asked about the report, Trump said Friday: “I don’t know anything about it, no. I could look but I know nothing about it.”