Busan: Chinese President Xi Jinping began his three-day visit to South Korea on Thursday, marking his first trip to the country in 11 years. This visit includes significant discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Xi arrived at Gimhae International Airport before proceeding to a summit with Trump at the airport's Air Force reception facility in Busan. The meeting with Trump lasted one hour and 40 minutes, addressing the ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions. Following the talks, Xi traveled to the Kolon Hotel in Gyeongju, the venue for the APEC gatherings, under tight security measures.
Special forces and nearly 200 police officers provided security around the hotel as Xi's vehicle arrived amidst a welcoming crowd of Chinese students waving national flags. The visit comes at a crucial time as U.S.-China trade and security tensions continue to influence international alignments, notably strengthening the ties between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo against China.
The Trump-Xi meeting resulted in China agreeing to suspend its rare earths export controls, while the U.S. decided to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 percentage points. This development marks a tentative easing in the tariff war between the two superpowers.
Xi's upcoming summit with South Korean President Lee on Saturday is anticipated to be a pivotal moment for South Korea-China relations, which have experienced strains due to the broader U.S.-China rivalry. The leaders are expected to discuss enhancing their economic partnership, revising their free trade agreement, and addressing North Korea-related issues.
During APEC, Xi plans to advocate for multilateralism and free trade, reinforcing China's stance against protectionism. Additionally, there is interest in whether Xi will engage in a bilateral meeting with Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, given recent criticisms from Chinese media.