President Donald Trump is embarking on a five-day trip to Asia—visiting Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea—aimed at advancing trade agreements, critical mineral deals, and regional peace initiatives, while preparing for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This marks Trump’s first visit to the region during his second term and his longest foreign trip since taking office. The trip comes amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions, heightened tariffs, and mutual restrictions on technology and mineral exports.
U.S. officials note that neither side expects a full rollback of tariffs to pre-2025 levels. Instead, discussions are expected to focus on managing disputes and achieving incremental improvements. Possible outcomes could include:
- Limited tariff relief or extensions of current rates
- China committing to purchase U.S. soybeans and Boeing aircraft
- Greater exports of advanced U.S. computer chips to China in exchange for reduced restrictions on rare-earth magnets
While U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the Trump-Xi discussion might be “incidental,” Trump later confirmed it would be a lengthy meeting to address a wide range of issues. China has not officially confirmed the meeting.
Trump is also expected to attend the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, where he may oversee a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. In Japan, he will meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is expected to reaffirm military spending plans and investment commitments aligned with U.S. priorities.
In South Korea, Trump’s meeting with Xi in Busan is scheduled ahead of the APEC economic forum, with potential discussions extending beyond trade to issues including Taiwan and Russia, though the U.S. will focus primarily on trade, export controls, and Russian oil purchases.
Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to around 155% starting November 1 if no deal is reached, a move likely to provoke Beijing and risk ending the temporary truce on tariffs.
The trip also includes efforts to solidify trade agreements with Malaysia and India and reaffirm existing deals with South Korea, amid Seoul’s concerns over U.S. investment demands and labor deportations.
