New Delhi : According to media reports US President Donald Trump and his top advisers are planning to visit South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ meeting. This development has come at a time when countries around the world are worried about the US government’s tariff policies. At the same time, its impact is also being seen on global trade.
US administration officials said on Saturday that there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting during APEC, but no concrete plans have been made yet. The summit, to be held in the city of Gyeongju in late October and early November, is considered an important opportunity for Trump to meet President Xi Jinping.
In a phone call last month, Jinping invited Trump and his wife to visit China. The invitation was also welcomed by the US President, although the date has not been decided yet.
Officials said the Trump administration is also looking at it as an opportunity to get more economic investment in the US. This has been the main focus of Trump’s recent foreign trips, including visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
“A trip to South Korea is being discussed. It will focus on economic cooperation,” a White House official told CNN.Other goals include focusing on discussions on trade, defense and civil nuclear cooperation, the official said.Trump’s presence in the region could put him in a position to once again negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though whether Kim will attend remains a question.
Officials say more attention is being paid to arranging a possible meeting with Xi Jinping. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung invited Trump to attend the APEC summit during a meeting with him last week, suggesting the event could provide Trump with an opportunity to meet Kim.
Addressing reporters on Saturday, Trump said he was keen to meet Kim.
“I will do that and we will talk. He will want to meet me. We look forward to meeting him and we will make the relationship better,” Trump claimed about the North Korean leader. The US president’s expected visit to South Korea comes at a time when his relations with both Xi Jinping and Kim are strained. Xi Jinping hosted Kim, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing this week.