Trump's Diplomatic Dance in Asia: Wins, Risks, and Key Meetings

Sun Oct 26 2025 18:56:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Trump embarks on a critical diplomatic trip to Asia, marked by crucial meetings with global leaders, particularly Chinese President Xi Jinping, focused on trade and regional stability.

As President Trump travels across Asia, from Malaysia to Japan and South Korea, significant discussions on trade and diplomacy are underway. Key meetings include Trump's anticipated talks with China's Xi Jinping, aimed at mitigating trade tensions, alongside efforts to strengthen relationships with Japan and South Korea.

US President Donald Trump is arriving in Asia for a whirlwind week of diplomacy, which includes a much-anticipated meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Top of the agenda between the two will be trade – an area where tensions between the world's two biggest economies have once again been ramping up.

Trump lands in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, as a summit for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, begins on Sunday. He will then visit Japan and finally South Korea, where the White House says he will meet Xi.

So what are the wins Trump and other leaders are hoping for, and what are the pitfalls? Our correspondents explain what you should know about the week ahead.

For Trump, China is the key

Inking new trade deals that provide opportunities to American businesses while keeping the tariff revenue flowing into the US Treasury is sure to be a central focus of Trump's Asia trip.

While there are multiple players in the global trade dance, the key to Trump's success or failure is China. And Trump's scheduled meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Apec could set the course for US-China relations for the rest of Trump's second term in office.

The steep tumbles in the major US stock indexes every time China and the US appear at an impasse underline this reality.

Xi's long game

When Chinese leader Xi Jinping meets Trump, he wants to be the tougher negotiator.

Both sides also want to finalize a tariff deal negotiated by Japan's new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, potentially making Japanese cars more competitive against Chinese rivals.

Talking tariffs as Kim Jong Un looms

For South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the pressing issue is Trump's tariffs. But speculation about Trump potentially visiting North Korea adds an unpredictable element to the discussions.