Trade tensions loom over Trump’s Asia trip

US President Donald Trump is heading to Asia on a nearly week-long trip, scheduled to include a high-level meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Korea.

The trip will also include visits to Malaysia and Japan; Trump is expected to meet the leaders of those countries as well.

Trump’s visit comes during an uncertain time in the region and at home, where a prolonged government shutdown remains unresolved. The United States has not yet finalized trade agreements with Japan and Korea, and tensions between the United States and China over trade have escalated in recent weeks, despite Trump’s insistence that he would be able to strike a deal with Xi.

There was also Border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. This tension has been escalating for years, but it flared up over the summer, killing dozens of civilians and soldiers. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire, in part after Trump threatened them with higher tariffs if the fighting continued. A negotiated peace agreement is supposed to be signed at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.

Trump presides over the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand in Malaysia

Trump will attend the ASEAN summit for the first time since 2017, where he will chair a key component of the peace agreement.

For months, the president has been touting his ability to end the crisis "Endless" Wars around the world, including this conflict in Southeast Asia.

"You have finished seven endless wars. They said they were endless. You will never be able to solve it," Trump said in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month. "No president or prime minister, nor any other country, has done anything close to that, and they did it in just seven months. This has never happened before. There was nothing like that."

A US official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity said they did not expect China to participate in the peace agreement signing ceremony because the US did not believe China played a role. "prominent" or "subordination" Role in the peace agreement Although she participated in mediations. On Air Force One on Friday night, Trump told reporters that the Chinese… "She was not involved" In the deal but gave credit to Malaysia.

Trump is scheduled to meet the new Japanese Prime Minister and hold trade talks with Korea

South Korea has also recently dealt with unrest of its own, recently electing President Lee Jae-myung, after Lee’s predecessor declared martial law and was later impeached.

Lee has negotiated some framework for a trade agreement with Trump, but the details of the deal have not yet been finalized, including… Korea pledged to invest $350 billion In the United States

Trump will meet with Lee while in Korea — the first time the two have met in person since the recent ICE raid on a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia led to Trump’s death. Temporary detention of 300 South Korean workers It shocked Koreans in their homeland.

In addition to trade, Lee and Trump are also likely to discuss North Korea. He told me recently CNN He hopes that Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un can do so "Participate in the dialogue." Trump said on Friday that he was open to meeting with Kim.

"I had a great relationship with him, and he probably knew I was coming, right?" He told reporters. "But, if you want to spread the word, I’m open to it."

While in Japan, Trump will sit down with the newly elected officials Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi – the country’s first female prime minister – and will be hosted by the Emperor.

Trump is also scheduled to make remarks aboard the USS George Washington at the US Naval Base in Yokosuka.

The Trump-Xi meeting may not move the needle

Finally, Trump’s trip will end with an anticipated meeting with Xi Jinping on October 30 – although Beijing has yet to confirm the meeting.

There have been months of back-and-forth over tariff negotiations between the US and China that have kept the global economy on edge. Tensions escalated during the summer when the two countries agreed to de-escalate.

But earlier this month, Beijing surprised Trump by announcing additional restrictions on exports of rare earth metals, which the United States and other countries rely on for military equipment and other technology.

Trump threatened to completely cancel his meeting with Xi and raise tariffs.

"This was a real surprise, not only to me, but to all leaders of the free world." Trump posted on Truth Social. "I was scheduled to meet President Xi in two weeks, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, but now there appears to be no reason to do so."

Despite China’s recent moves, Trump has spoken positively about his relationship with Xi recently and said he expects that to happen "amazing" Dealing with China.

However, experts say the meeting will likely be a moment for both countries to buy time.

"I’m not sure either side is quite ready to come down from the positions they’ve staked on;" said Ryan Haass, director of the China Center at the Brookings Institution, a liberal-leaning think tank in Washington.

He expected the meeting to result in an extension "Trade truce" The United States and China agreed over the summer "Allow time and place" For negotiators to finalize the trade agreement.

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