President Donald Trump is projecting a rosy outlook on his upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping, a stance that clashes with the reality of a newly escalated trade war.
“I think it’s going to work out very well,” Trump said from Tokyo, ahead of the “big meeting” in South Korea on Thursday. The talks will be held at the APEC summit.
The reality is tense: the US has threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese goods (from November 1) after China imposed rare earth export controls.
A new round of US port fees and Chinese countermeasures has further soured relations, ending a recent period of calm.
Despite this, Trump was insistent, calling the planned meeting “fantastic” and “great for everybody.”
Trump’s broader trip has involved other diplomatic duties, including meeting Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and speaking to US troops. However, the Xi meeting is the most critical event.