Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sept 7: US President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly planning a trip to South Korea in late October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit — a high-level event that could set the stage for potential meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, CNN reported, citing Trump administration officials.

Though no official confirmation has been made, sources say discussions are ongoing about a bilateral meeting between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of the summit, which is scheduled to take place in Gyeongju between late October and early November.

Last month, President Xi invited Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to visit China, and Trump responded with a reciprocal invitation. However, no dates have been locked in. Plans for the trip — including other possible stops in the region — are still being finalized.

Trump is also reportedly viewing the trip as a chance to attract economic investments into the US, continuing a trend from his recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. A White House official told CNN that a stop in South Korea would primarily focus on economic collaboration, along with key topics such as trade, defence, and civil nuclear cooperation.

According to sources, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung personally invited Trump to the summit last week and floated the idea of a meeting with Kim Jong Un. Trump expressed openness to the suggestion, telling reporters, “I will do that, and we’ll have talks. He’d like to meet with me. We look forward to meeting with him, and we’ll make relations better.”

Still, the main priority for the White House appears to be organising a meeting with Xi Jinping, as tensions between Washington and Beijing remain high. The two sides have engaged in repeated negotiations over trade, with US and Chinese officials holding talks in Europe to reach a potential deal.

As part of that trade battle, Trump had imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese goods in April, prompting a 125% retaliation from China. Though those tariffs were set to return last month, Trump signed an executive order to pause the rate hikes until November, leaving space for continued negotiations.

Meanwhile, Trump’s relationship with Xi and Kim has grown more complex. This week, Xi hosted Kim, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing for a major military parade — a move Trump criticised, despite calling the event “beautiful” and “very impressive.”

On social media, Trump remarked sarcastically, “May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

He later added, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”

Still, Trump has maintained that his personal relationships with all three leaders are strong. “We’re going to find out how good it is over the next week or two,” he said during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office.

With trade tensions simmering and diplomatic dynamics shifting, Trump’s potential visit to South Korea may be more than just another overseas trip — it could serve as a key test of his influence in Asia ahead of further geopolitical and economic negotiations.