President Trump is embarking on a nearly weeklong trip to Asia, which includes a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Korea. The itinerary also features visits to Malaysia and Japan, where Trump intends to hold talks with national leaders.
The trip comes at a moment of uncertainty both in the region and in the United States, where the prolonged government shutdown remains unresolved. Washington has yet to finalize trade agreements with Japan and Korea, and tensions with China over trade have intensified in recent weeks. Nevertheless, Trump insists he will be able to reach an understanding with Xi.
The visit also coincides with renewed tensions over a long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Clashes between the two nations this summer left dozens of civilians and soldiers dead. A ceasefire was reached in part after Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs should the fighting continue. A formal peace agreement is expected to be signed at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The ASEAN Summit and Trump’s Bid to Cement His Image as a Peacemaker
Trump will attend the ASEAN summit for the first time since 2017, with the signing of a peace agreement serving as the centerpiece of the event.
In recent months, the president has repeatedly touted his ability to end “endless” wars around the world, including the conflict in Southeast Asia.
A Cambodian Buddhist monk holds a portrait of President Trump during a peace march in Phnom Penh following the border conflict with Thailand. August 10.
“I ended seven endless wars. They said it couldn’t be done—that it would never be possible,” Trump said in his address to the UN General Assembly last month. “No president, no prime minister, no other country has ever done anything like it. And I did it in just seven months. It’s never happened before. Nothing like it has ever happened.”
A U.S. official speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity said China is unlikely to take part in the signing ceremony. According to the source, Washington does not view Beijing’s role in the process as “significant” or “decisive,” even though Chinese representatives participated in the talks. On Friday evening, answering questions aboard Air Force One, Trump said China “had nothing to do” with the deal but acknowledged Malaysia’s contribution.
South Korea Between Domestic Turmoil and Talks with Washington
South Korea is also facing internal instability: newly elected President Lee Jae-myung took office after his predecessor declared martial law and was subsequently removed from power.
Lee and Trump have reached a preliminary agreement to establish a framework for a trade deal, though key details remain unresolved—including Seoul’s potential commitment to invest $350 billion in the U.S. economy.
During the visit, Trump will hold a personal meeting with Lee—their first since a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on the Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia, where 300 South Korean workers were temporarily detained. The incident sparked widespread outrage in South Korea.
In addition to trade, discussions are likely to touch on the situation surrounding North Korea. In an interview with CNN, Lee expressed hope that Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could “resume dialogue.” On Friday, Trump said he was open to meeting Kim.
“We had a great relationship, and he probably knows I’m coming, right?” Trump told reporters. “But if you want to tell him, I’m open to meeting.”
During his visit to Japan, Trump will meet with the country’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi—the first woman in history to hold the post. He will also be received by the emperor. In addition, Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka.
The Anticipated Meeting with Xi Jinping and the Risk of a Renewed Trade Clash
Trump’s trip will conclude with a much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for October 30, though Beijing has yet to officially confirm it.
For several months, Washington and Beijing have been engaged in difficult tariff negotiations, keeping the global economy on edge. The two sides agreed to a de-escalation over the summer, but in early October China unexpectedly announced new export restrictions on rare-earth metals—materials vital to the U.S. and other nations for producing military equipment and advanced technologies.
Chinese President Xi Jinping greets President Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka. June 2019.
In response, Trump threatened to cancel the meeting with Xi and raise tariffs. “It came as a complete surprise—not just to me, but to every leader of the free world,” he wrote on Truth Social. “I was supposed to meet with President Xi in two weeks at the APEC summit in South Korea, but now it doesn’t seem to make much sense.”
Despite Beijing’s actions, Trump later emphasized that he maintains a good relationship with Xi and remains confident about achieving a “great” deal with China.
Analysts, however, believe the meeting will likely serve as an opportunity for both sides to buy time. “I’m not sure either of them is ready to back down from their positions,” said Ryan Hass, director of the China Center at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
According to him, the most probable outcome of the talks will be an extension of the “trade truce” reached over the summer—to give negotiators “time and space” to finalize an agreement.