Trump on Visit to China: "I Will First Ask Xi Jinping to Open Up China"

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[Financial News, New York and Seoul = Lee Byung-chul, Park Jong-won] U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on the night of the 13th and began a three-day state visit. Trump will hold a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on the morning of the 14th. Speaking to reporters at the White House just before departing for China on the 12th, local time in the United States, he said, "There is a lot to discuss with President Xi," adding, "Above all, trade will be the main topic."
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On Truth Social, Trump listed the business leaders traveling with him and said, "I will ask President Xi to open up China." He added, "That way, we can take China to a much higher level," and said, "This will be the first thing I ask for."
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Trump stressed that he would not describe the Iran War as "one of the topics for discussion." Instead, he said trade issues would be the main agenda item. The move is also seen as an effort to prevent China from gaining greater leverage in negotiations. The summit is expected to be divided into five agenda items: China's purchases of U.S. agricultural and livestock products and Boeing aircraft, rare-earth elements, semiconductor exports, the Iran War, and an extension of the trade truce. The two countries have also exchanged views on a range of other issues, including artificial intelligence and various sanctions.
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The two leaders are expected to focus on a "small deal" and partial agreements, rather than resolving fundamental issues or improving bilateral ties in a broad sense. Ahead of the summit, He Lifeng, China's vice premier in charge of economic affairs, and Scott Bessent, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, visited South Korea on the 13th. Right after meeting President Lee Jae Myung, they finalized the main agenda items for the summit at Incheon International Airport.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, who would not normally accompany a president on a visit to China under diplomatic custom, joined this trip. It is the first such case in about 54 years, since 1972.
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pride@fnnews.com Reporter