Donald Trump and Xi Jinping set to meet as US and China edge closer to a trade deal

Live Reporting

Edited by Yvette Tan in Singapore, with reporting from Laura Bicker in Busan, Jake Kwon and Suranjana Tewari in Gyeongju, Anthony Zurcher travelling with the US President and Fan Wang and Kelly Ng in Singapore

Where are the two leaders meeting?published at 01:38 GMT

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with the US president

The building where the meeting will take place is just off the tarmac. It has a blue tiled roof and a sign that says “base operations.”

Trump rolled up from Air Force One in his armored limousine and is now in the building.

Image source, Getty Images
What are the two leaders expected to discuss?published at 01:35 GMT

There is little information from the White House and Beijing on what the two leaders will talk about. But the two leaders will have different priorities, experts say.

“While Trump wants to address the issues of rare earths, fentanyl, and soybeans, Xi will likely push the US president on files such as US export controls on high-tech products, and may ask for reassurances on Washington’s commitment to its ‘one China’ policy,” says William Yang, senior North East Asia analyst from the International Crisis Group.

Both sides will likely claim victory, according to the think tank’s senior research and advocacy advisor Ali Wyne:“Privately, the two leaders would acknowledge each other’s economic leverage and vulnerabilities, and the attendant imperative of de-escalation.”

Publicly, each would declare victory: Trump, by claiming that he has put America’s foremost strategic competitor on notice; and Xi, by claiming that he has showcased China’s resilience and its ability to inflict pain across many sectors of the US economy.”
‘I’m not walking into a meeting cold’ – Trumppublished at 01:26 GMT

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, Travelling with US President

Aboard Air Force One on the flight from Japan, Trump told me he was optimistic about today’s face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping.

“I know a little bit about what’s going on because we have been talking to them,” he said. “I’m not walking into a meeting cold.”

In a bit of a departure from Trump’s free-wheeling style, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and his Chinese counterparts have worked out the framework of an agreement already.

The US has taken punitive tariffs off the table, raising hopes that China will drop its planned export restrictions on rare earth materials. If they also agree to resume purchases of American agriculture exports, Trump may be able to fly home on Thursday with a big accomplishment in his pocket.

The takeaway: US-China relations have been turbulent since Trump’s first presidential term. The American stock market, which has soared in recent days, seems to be betting that this meeting will open the door to smoother sailing in the days ahead.
Trump has landed in Busanpublished at 01:23 GMT

Breaking

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Marine One, with Trump aboard, as it approaches Gimhae International Airport

Trump’s helicopter Marine One has just landed in Busan’s Gimhae International Airport.

This comes shortly after Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s arrival. They are due to meet in about half an hour.

Reporters are surrounded by tents that read “Kimhae Air Base.”

Chinese media have gathered here too.
A seemingly obscure meeting venuepublished at 01:14 GMT

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

An Air China flight lands at Gimhae International Airport in Busan

This highly-anticipated meeting will take place at the Gimhae International Airport in the South Korean city of Busan – soon after Xi arrives in the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, and just before Trump flies out.

Trump has attended several Apec-related events but will be skipping the main leaders’ summit that will begin tomorrow.

Apart from their tight schedules, the airport may have been picked for its high levels of security. South Korean officials have stepped up security around Gimhae airport in recent days – world leaders attending the Apec summit in Gyeongju are also expected to arrive via Busan.
Chinese group ready to welcome Xipublished at 01:06 GMT

Laura Bicker
China correspondent, in Busan

The Chinese embassy in South Korea appears to have organised a group of people to welcome President Xi to the country.

They are distributing Chinese and Korean flags to staff who are standing by the road, just outside Gimhae airport where the meeting is set to happen.

Police are also preparing for anti-Chinese protests in Busan now that President Xi has arrived.
Both leaders on the movepublished at 00:57 GMT

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with the US president

President Trump’s helicopter, Marine One, has left for Gimhae airport in the city of Busan, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This comes shortly after Chinese state media reported President Xi’s departure from Beijing.
How did we get here?published at 00:55 GMT

Osmond Chia
Business reporter

The US and China have seen a turbulent few months despite a shaky trade truce in May to put a stop to tit-for-tat tariffs.

The US has continued to curb its rival’s tech growth by keeping a tight leash on China’s access to Nvidia’s advanced computing chips.

And we saw Beijing go on the offensive by tightening control over its rare earth exports – a pivotal moment in the trade war given how it has a near-monopoly in the processing of the critical minerals that go into electronics, green energy tech and military equipment.

But in recent days, both sides have sought to ease tensions and have left the door open for negotiations.

Today’s meeting is a high-stakes one, with economist Tim Harcourt from the University of Technology Sydney calling it “the meeting that resets globalisation in a post-Covid era”.

Here’s more on how we got here.
Trump and Xi due to meet in South Koreapublished at 00:48 GMT

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

The two leaders last met in 2019

Good morning. It’s just coming up to 10:00 in the South Korean city of Busan, where a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping is due to take place.

This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Trump took office in January. Their agenda is expected to cover a wide range of topics – from tariffs to rare earths and the sale of TikTok.

This meeting comes as Trump is on a whirlwind trip across Asia, with South Korea being the last leg of his trip.

We will be bringing you updates throughout the day, together with our reporters on the ground in South Korea – stay with us.
We are pausing our live coveragepublished at 09:03 GMT 29 October

As we wait to hear of more developments, including about the outcome of Trump and Lee’s meeting, we will be pausing this live page.

Here’s a quick summary of what happened earlier today:
- Trump landed in South Korea – the third and final stop of his Asia tour – on Wednesday morning. He was greeted by an honour guard – and gifts that included a golden crown and the country’s highest honour
- He addressed business leaders at the Apec business leaders summit, where he said he was confident that he would be able to strike a ‘good deal’ with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The two leaders will meet on Thursday– their first meeting since Trump began his second term and imposed tariffs on every country in the world
- We have no word of what Trump and Lee discussed, but experts say it is unlikely that they will have made much headway on a tariff deal – which is currently at a negotiation deadlock. However, Trump praised the US relationship with South Korea as “very special”
- There were some protests against Trump in front of the museum he was due to meet Lee at. It ended with police arresting demonstrators and dragging them away
You can read our news story about Trump’s visit to South Korea here.
Investment in US could ‘trigger another financial crisis’ – Gyeongju residentpublished at 08:58 GMT 29 October

Yuna Ku
BBC Korean Service, reporting from Gyeongju

Image source, BBC/Yuna Ku

Taxi driver Kim Hyun-soo was the one who drove me near the Gyeongju National Museum, where Presidents Trump and Lee are meeting.

Now in his 70s, Kim has been driving a taxi in Gyeongju for 40 years.

He’s excited to see such a “mega event” taking place in this otherwise quiet city, but he’s also worried about the stalled trade negotiations between South Korea and the US.

Back in July, the two countries agreed to cut “reciprocal” and auto tariffs from 25% to 15% in exchange for South Korea’s $350 billion investment in the US.

“I think $350 billion is way too much,” Kim said. “Given the state of our economy, an investment that size could even trigger another financial crisis.”

Still, he says his trust in the US remains firm.

“After the Korean War, the US has supported our economy and protected us from North Korean provocations…it’s our best ally.”
K-pop royalty – aka BTS – addresses Apec summitpublished at 08:49 GMT 29 October

Image source, Reuters

Trump was not the only famous person who addressed the Apec CEO summit earlier – so did K-pop royalty.

RM, whose real name is Kim Namjoon, also gave a speech about the importance and global impact of Korean culture, particularly K-pop music.

RM is a member of the boy band BTS, considered the kings of K-pop. They are not only one of South Korea’s biggest cultural exports, but also one of the most successful boy bands in the world.
‘Koreans love Trump!’ say pro-US rallypublished at 08:35 GMT 29 October

Just five minutes away from the summit, a pro-US rally is underway – with hundreds of people in attendance.

We saw earlier that dozens of anti-Trump protesters had gathered outside the venue chanting slogans like “No Trump” and “Trump get out of here!” But the pro-US rally appears to be much larger in terms of numbers.

The US and South Korea are long-standing allies though relations were tested after hundreds of South Korean citizens were detained in an immigration raid in the US last month.
Where did Trump’s gold crown come from?published at 08:20 GMT 29 October

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Trump received the crown (pictured on the right) from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung

Earlier today Trump received a replica of a gold crown from the ancient Korean kingdom Silla.

He was presented with the crown by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the Gyeongju National Museum.

Officials said the crown “symbolises the spirit of Silla, which brought peace to the Korean Peninsula for the first time”. As a reminder, Trump was also given the country’s highest honour for his “contribution to peace” on the peninsula.

Gyeongju was once the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC to 935 AD), and the museum is hosting a special exhibition featuring six gold crowns from that era.

The six known Silla crowns, dating from roughly the fifth to sixth centuries, are usually held in separate collections, but have been brought together for the first time to mark the Apec summit.

Image source, News1
Image caption,

The crowns are on display in the Gyeongju museum
Trump wine on tonight’s menupublished at 08:05 GMT 29 October

What’s on the menu for tonight? There’s no word of Soju, but the leaders will be drinking from the Trump winery – owned by Eric Trump.

Among the labels on offer are the Trump Chardonnay and the Trump Cabernet Sauvignon

According to the Trump Winery website, a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon goes for $34.99 per bottle – although it is not clear if this is what is going to be served tonight.

Image source, Trump Winery/Screenshot

Also on the menu are items like Chicken and Truffle dumplings, as well as Hanwoo sirloin steak – a premium Korean beef.
WATCH: When Trump imitated Modipublished at 07:44 GMT 29 October

Earlier, Donald Trump called India’s prime minister Narendra Modi “a killer” and “tough as hell” during a speech at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea.

The president also imitated Modi while reflecting on discussions he had with the Indian leader in May.

Here is a clip of that moment:

Media caption,

Watch: Trump imitates India’s PM Narendra Modi in South Korea
If you’re just joining uspublished at 07:29 GMT 29 October

Good afternoon from South Korea and Singapore, where we are following US president Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour of Asia. The two leaders have just wrapped up a private one-on-one meeting and we are waiting to hear more about what they have discussed.

But here is a quick summary of what has happened so far to catch you up:
- Trump arrived in South Korea’s Gyeongju on Wednesday morning where he was greeted by an honour guard – and gifts that included a golden crown
- He also received South Korea’s highest honour, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, for his “contribution to peace on the Korean peninsula”
- Trump said that a trade deal with South Korea would be finalised “very soon”. Both sides have yet to come to an agreement on this. Trump had imposed a tariff rate of 25% On Seoul.
- Trump also talked about North Korea, saying he “wasn’t able to work out” a timing to meet Kim Jong Un
- Dozens of anti-Trump protesters had gathered outside the museum where the meeting is happening, calling for him to “get out”
- The US is a key ally for South Korea – but anti-Trump sentiments grew after hundreds of citizens were detained in an immigration raid in the US last month
Stay with us as we bring you the latest.
Trump and Lee meeting has endedpublished at 07:22 GMT 29 October

The bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Lee Jae Myung ended a few minutes ago. They appeared to have had a lengthy chat which lasted about one and a half hours.

We’ll update you when more lines from their meeting come out.
China confirms Trump-Xi meetingpublished at 07:09 GMT 29 October

Breaking

China’s foreign ministry has confirmed the meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping – the first confirmation of this meeting we’ve got from Beijing.

Up until now, the meeting was only talked about by the White House.

It will take place in the city of Busan on Thursday, shortly after Xi lands in South Korea to attend the Apec summit.

This will be the two leaders’ first face to face meeting since Trump assumed office in 2025 and imposed tariffs on every country in the world.
Trump not meeting Kim as ‘couldn’t work out timing’published at 06:53 GMT 29 October

In the lead-up to his trip to South Korea, Trump had publicly expressed interest several times in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

But he has since confirmed that it’s not going to happen.

“I know Kim Jong Un very well… we really weren’t able to work out timing,” Trump has said, adding that he plans to “straighten out” tensions between North and South Korea.

Trump met Kim three times in his previous term as president – in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas.

Trump was the first sitting US President to meet a North Korean leader in person, and the first to set foot in North Korean soil, when he briefly stepped over a divider at the DMZ meeting.

While he had previously boasted of their close relationship as them being “in love”, he was unable to convince the North Korean leader to give up nuclear weapons.