The talks will take place in South Korea, where this year's APEC summit is scheduled. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi since the US president took office again in January. The leaders have already had the opportunity to talk three times this year, the last time in September, but the last time they saw each other in person was in 2019, during Trump's first term.
The US president has long emphasized that direct talks with the Chinese leader are crucial to resolving difficulties in relations between the two countries. The most important issues include disputes regarding customs duties, export restrictions, trade in agricultural products, as well as issues related to fentanyl trade and geopolitical tensions around Taiwan.
The APEC summit meeting is part of the broader context of Donald Trump's tour of Asia. The US president plans to hit the road on Friday, also visiting Malaysia and Japan.
