Trump to Meet Xi in Person at APEC, Plans China Visit in 2026

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in person later this fall at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea, and that Xi will visit the United States in 2026. The plan would mark the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since their 2019 meeting in Osaka, Japan, at a time when Washington and Beijing are seeking to reset a frayed relationship amid tariffs, technology competition and questions over data security.

Trump described the arrangement as contingent on scheduling, noting that the APEC gathering is slated to take place late October into early November, with the exact time of the Trump-Xi meeting still to be determined. He also said Xi would travel to the United States at an "appropriate time" after the fall talks. The announcement comes as both sides seek to navigate a broad set of disputes, from a tariff standoff that has persisted since Trump’s 2017–2020 trade actions to sensitivities over Chinese access to American markets and data.

During a recent stretch of high-stakes diplomacy, Xi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a WWII victory parade in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025. The encounter underscored the realignment of players as Washington weighs its leverage against Beijing on technology, finance and security matters, even as Beijing pursues broader strategic partnerships with other major powers.

The call between Trump and Xi on Friday morning touched on the situation surrounding TikTok and the ongoing tariff dispute. Officials described the discussion as part of a broader push to resolve two of the most visible flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship. Trump said the conversation went well and indicated that both sides were advancing toward potential agreements on the two issues, though no public timeline for a final deal was announced. The exchange followed months of back-and-forth over whether the Chinese-owned short-video app could continue operating in the United States without structural changes or a sale to a company not controlled by the Chinese government.

The TikTok issue remains politically sensitive in Washington. A growing bloc of Republican lawmakers has asserted that any enduring permission for TikTok to operate in the United States should hinge on ByteDance selling the app to a buyers that are clearly independent of the Chinese Communist Party or any other U.S. adversaries. While Trump signaled some approval in the call, officials cautioned that no binding agreement has been reached and that congressional concerns would influence any final decision. The administration has, for months, delayed or constrained enforcement of executive actions aimed at curbing access for apps tied to foreign adversaries, including TikTok, as talks continue.

The broader context remains steeped in a long-running tariff war that began when Trump imposed duties on Chinese goods after taking office and that has persisted in various forms under the current administration’s approach toward Beijing. Analysts say a high-profile meeting could help shape the next phase of bargaining on tariffs, as well as on non-tariff areas such as tech governance, supply chains and market access. Yet observers caution that a face-to-face in the fall does not guarantee a quick resolution, given the depth and breadth of the disagreements and the complexity of domestic politics in both countries.

Xi’s last trip to the United States occurred in November 2023 for the APEC Summit in San Francisco, where he held discussions with then-President Joe Biden. Since that visit, relations have endured a steady drumbeat of criticisms and mutual doubts over enforcement, enforcement timelines, and the scope of any eventual deal on issues ranging from trade to enforcement of intellectual property protections and the flow of rare earth elements and other strategic commodities. As Trump prepares to travel to China in early 2026, the White House indicated that reciprocal steps and a broader framework for ongoing dialogue would be pursued in parallel with any concrete accords on TikTok and tariffs.

The timing of the proposed in-person meeting and the China visit reflects a wider effort to reframe engagement with Beijing at a moment when U.S. policymakers are weighing risks and opportunities in a rapidly shifting global landscape. Washington continues to debate how to balance competitive pressure with cooperation on shared challenges, including climate, health security and regional stability. While the specifics of any final agreement remain to be seen, officials in both capitals have signaled a willingness to maintain high-level dialogue and to use diplomatic channels to manage differences as the 2026 talks approach.