US President Donald Trump will test his deal-making skills on a trip to Asia, a region hit by his trade policies, as doubts hang over his long-awaited meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump, who left Washington on Friday night, is planning a five-day trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, which will be his first visit to the region and his longest trip abroad since taking office in January.
The Republican leader hopes to hammer out trade deals, key minerals deals and a ceasefire before turning to his toughest challenge, a face-to-face meeting with Xi in South Korea on Thursday.
Trump is also working to maintain the signature foreign policy achievement of his second term, the fragile ceasefire he helped negotiate in the conflict between Israel and Gaza, while Russia’s war in Ukraine and trade war with China continue.
Trump and China threaten trade in minerals and technology. Washington and Beijing have raised tariffs on each other’s exports and threatened to halt trade in key minerals and technologies.
The trip was formally announced by the White House on Thursday. Details are still being worked out, including the meeting of the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
Neither side expects progress that would restore the terms of trade that existed before Trump’s inauguration for a second term in January, according to a person familiar with the talks.
China has not confirmed that a meeting is planned, reports Reuters.
(Vijesti.ba/Fena)
