President Donald Trump is touting a “fantastic meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, even as trade tensions between the two economic giants have spiked to new highs.
The “big meeting” is scheduled for Thursday in South Korea, during the APEC summit. “I think it’s going to work out very well,” Trump said confidently from Japan.
Tensions spiked after a period of calm, beginning with China’s decision to control rare earth exports. The US retaliated with a threat of 100% tariffs and new port fees on Chinese ships.
This, in turn, sparked a wave of countermeasures from Beijing.
Trump, whose Asia trip has focused on trade, seems to be relying on his personal diplomacy with Xi to find a resolution that he says will be “great for everybody.”
The president’s visit to Asia has been a whirlwind of diplomatic and trade-focused events. While in Tokyo, he met with Japan’s new PM, Sanae Takaichi, and mingled with business leaders, all while aiming to highlight America’s economic influence.