As the U.S. government shutdown enters its 25th day, President Donald Trump is embarking on a trip to Asia where he will meet with Xi Jinping.
President Trump heads to Asia to seek trade deal with China
President Trump is scheduled to fly to Asia for six days and meet with China to negotiate a trade deal.
As the US government shutdown enters its 25th day with no end in sight, President Donald Trump is embarking on a tour of Asia.
The visits to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea come as the United States faces retaliatory tariffs from China after President Trump threatened to impose nearly triple tariffs on Chinese imports unless a new trade deal is reached with China on Nov. 1.
The impact of China’s tariffs is already being felt at home, as China’s suspension of imports from the United States such as soybeans has U.S. farmers worried that prices for the fall crop could fall, and restrictions on the sale of rare earth minerals to the United States could affect production of critical electronics such as cell phones and computers.
President Trump hopes to strike a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will meet with the US president in South Korea on Monday.
Here’s what you need to know about President Trump’s visit to South Korea.
When will Trump go to South Korea?
South Korea is scheduled to be President Trump’s third and final stop on his Asian trip. The President’s visit will begin on Sunday, October 26th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the President is scheduled to arrive in Japan on Monday, October 27th.
After a series of meetings in Malaysia and a meeting with Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, President Trump is scheduled to head to Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday, October 29th.
After arriving, President Trump is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt announced on Thursday, October 23, that the president will meet with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders, speak at a luncheon, and participate in a working dinner between the United States and APEC leaders.
The following day, Thursday, October 30th, President Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before returning to Washington, DC.
President Trump has expressed optimism about reaching a trade deal with President Xi, but at a Rose Garden lunch with Senate Republicans on October 21, he tempered expectations by saying that a deal with China may not materialize.
“Certainly there are a lot of people waiting for that,” Trump said. “Maybe it won’t happen. For example, someone might say, ‘I hate you, I don’t want to see you.’ But that’s not really a bad thing, it’s just business.”
USA TODAY’s Bart Hansen contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
