Trump-Xi Jinping meeting/ 3 main issues on the agenda between the two leaders

2025-10-29 16:16:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday for high-profile talks amid a bitter trade war and a tense geopolitical backdrop.

Here's what's likely to be on the agenda for Trump's meeting with Xi:

Trade and tariffs

The talks aim to chart a path after Trump threatened new 100% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1, in response to Beijing imposing strict export controls on rare earth metals.

On Saturday, top economic officials from the US and China met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to prepare for the summit and hold preliminary talks on key issues in the escalating trade war.

Rare earths in focus

Trump was angered by China's widely expanded restrictions on exports of rare earth metals and related technologies, as Beijing tightened its grip on products that are critical for use in smartphones and fighter jets.

China is a major producer of rare earth metals and has almost complete control over the refining processes needed to make the minerals useful. Recent supply constraints have shown how dependent the rest of the world now is on China.

Russia and Ukraine

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he would like China to help Washington in its relations with Russia as he seeks to end Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Trump has positioned himself as a global peacemaker but has acknowledged that trying to end Russia's more than three-year war in Ukraine has proven more difficult than he had anticipated. Last week, the US imposed sanctions on Russia for the first time since Trump returned to the White House in January, a sign of the president's growing frustration with Vladimir Putin.

Will Taiwan play a role?

When he left the US, Trump said Taiwan would be among the topics discussed with Xi.

Over the years, the US has only recognized Beijing but provided weapons for the self-defense of Taiwan, a self-governing democracy claimed by China. /CNA