U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday met face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea – just hours after Trump hinted online at potential shifts in U.S. defense and trade policy.
The meeting marked the final stop of Trump’s Asia trip, which also included stops in Malaysia and Japan, and focused on cooling the economic standoff between Washington and Beijing.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has levied major tariffs on Chinese imports – a move that prompted Beijing to tighten its control over exports of rare earth elements. Both leaders signaled interest in reducing tensions to avoid further shocks to the global economy.
Trump and Xi spoke briefly to the press before heading into a closed-door session with senior aides.
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“It’s an honor to be with a friend of mine,” Trump said of Xi, while some issues remain unresolved, “I think we’ve already agreed to a lot of things.”
Xi said in his opening remarks that “it feels very warm seeing you again because it’s been many years.”
The Chinese leader acknowledged that occasional friction between major powers is natural, adding that the U.S. and China “can still find ways to thrive side by side.”
Earlier aboard Air Force One en route to South Korea, Trump suggested he may reduce tariffs imposed on China due to Beijing’s cooperation in curbing fentanyl exports.
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“I expect to be lowering that because I believe that they’re going to help us with the fentanyl situation,” Trump said, adding, “The relationship with China is very good.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
