Busan [South Korea], October 30 : United States President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea on Thursday ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking a crucial development in the ongoing trade discussions between Washington and Beijing.
Trump landed at Gimhae International Airport in South Korea, where he will soon meet with Xi for their much-awaited talks.
The meeting is set to take place on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, drawing attention from global markets and political observers alike.
Ahead of the talks, US President Donald Trump said that he is "looking forward" to his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday, underscoring the importance both nations have placed on this high-level engagement.
"Very much looking forward to my meeting with President Xi of China. It will take place in a few hours!" Trump said in a post on X, highlighting the anticipation surrounding their discussion.
Earlier, during his speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Trump said the expected trade deal between the United States and China would be good for both countries and "something very exciting for everybody."
"That's really a great result. That's better than fighting and going through all sorts of problems," Trump said in an address to a business luncheon on the sidelines of the APEC gathering in Gyeongju.
The meeting in the coastal city of Busan, about 85 kilometres south of Gyeongju, will be the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and Xi since the US president launched his second trade war with China.
Speaking aboard Air Force One earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he expected the agreement to solve "a lot of problems" and include lower tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Beijing taking steps to curb the production of fentanyl.
Trump has imposed a 20 per cent tariff on Chinese goods over what he claims is Beijing's failure to crack down on the flow of chemicals used in making the deadly opioid, as per Al Jazeera.
US officials have indicated that the deal under discussion could include the deferral of China's planned export controls on rare earth minerals, the suspension of an additional 100 per cent US tariff on Chinese goods, and a commitment by Beijing to buy more US agricultural products.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that Xi would meet Trump but did not specifically mention the deal.
"At this meeting, the two leaders will have in-depth communication on strategic, long-term issues related to China-US relations and major issues of common concern," spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular media briefing, as reported by Al Jazeera.
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