The upcoming APEC summit in South Korea will host a critical meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as Trump has now admitted their tariff war is “not sustainable.”
The president confirmed the meeting is set for two weeks from now. His admission—”It’s not sustainable”—signals he may be looking for a deal. He immediately blamed China, however, claiming “they forced me to do that.”
This is a significant change from last week, when Trump threatened 100% tariffs and discussed canceling the APEC meeting. Now, he says, “I get along great with him [Xi]. I think we’re going to be fine.”
The summit is overshadowed by a November 10 deadline, when a 90-day trade truce expires. This truce has paused duties as high as 145%.
Trump’s goal remains a “fair deal.” He continues to justify the “unsustainable” tariffs as necessary leverage, arguing the US would be “a nothing” without them.