Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are both expected to travel to South Korea next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, officials confirmed Wednesday. The summit will take place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, marking a major diplomatic gathering in the region.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said he would discuss Xi’s visit during talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, noting that President Lee Jae Myung had already extended a formal invitation through a special envoy last month. The discussions are also expected to cover trade and regional cooperation, as China and South Korea seek to deepen ties, with bilateral trade reaching $267.6 billion in 2024.
On the US side, acting Ambassador Joseph Yun confirmed Trump’s possible attendance at the summit following an invitation from President Lee during their White House meeting. While South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Trump’s visit is highly likely, final confirmation is pending. The visit would coincide with ongoing negotiations on a revised trade deal, under which Seoul has pledged $350 billion in US investments in exchange for Trump lowering tariffs on South Korean imports from 25% to 15%.
