Trump suddenly praises Xi Jinping and agrees to meet in South Korea
Photo: Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump (Getty Images
US President Donald Trump expressed admiration for his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and announced a meeting with him in two weeks in South Korea, despite having doubted it just last week, Reuters reports.
"I think we're going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. It's got to be fair," Trump said.
On October 10, Trump had stated there was no need for a meeting with the Chinese leader, citing Beijing’s letters to other countries regarding export controls.
At that time, he stressed that China had become hostile and could cause market disruptions and difficulties for nearly every nation.
US-China relations remain strained
Despite claims of maintaining a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, China continues to cooperate with Russia and supply dual-use goods that can be used in weapons production.
Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Senate supports giving President Trump the authority to impose 500% tariffs on China over its purchases of Russian oil.
He noted that, despite Beijing’s statements about its desire to maintain global peace, China's purchases of Russian oil are fueling Moscow's war machine.
In response, China's Foreign Ministry called the US proposal of 500% tariffs "unilateral bullying and economic coercion."
A ministry spokesperson said that China's trade and energy cooperation with Russia is legal and legitimate.
