Trump Seeks Trade Deal with Xi Jinping During High-Stakes Asia Trip

US President Donald Trump will test his deal-making skills during his upcoming trip to Asia, a region that has suffered from his tough trade policies. At the same time, his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is in question.

Trump, who left Washington on the evening of October 24, will be on a five-day visit to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. This is his first visit to the region and his longest foreign trip since taking office. The main goal of the visit is to strike deals on trade, critical minerals, and a ceasefire, but the toughest challenge will be a face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday.

Washington and Beijing have raised tariffs on each other's exports and threatened to completely halt trade in critical minerals and technologies. Neither side expects a breakthrough that would restore the trade conditions that existed before Trump's second term began. Instead, the preparatory talks for the meeting have focused on modest improvements and managing disagreements. A possible interim agreement could include a limited easing of tariffs, an extension of current rates, or a commitment from China to purchase American soybeans and Boeing aircraft. The Chinese side has not yet confirmed the news of the meeting agreement.

Trump has threatened that if a deal is not reached, he will raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 155% from November 1. In addition to trade, the two leaders plan to discuss the Taiwan issue, as well as the topic of Russia. Trump has noted that he also intends to raise the issue of the release of imprisoned journalist Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.

During the visit, Trump will attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which begins on Sunday in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. There, he may witness the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.

Trump will then travel to Japan to meet with newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is expected to reaffirm the previous government's plans to increase military spending and make $550 billion in investments in the US. The last stop of the visit will be Busan, South Korea, where Trump plans to meet with Xi Jinping before an international trade summit.