Beijing, October 29: The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump will meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Thursday, October 30. The two leaders are expected to discuss issues of “strategic and long-term interest.”
Ahead of the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that China is open to further cooperation with the United States on the fentanyl issue, signaling a diplomatic thaw amid ongoing trade negotiations.
Guo’s comments followed President Trump’s statement suggesting that Washington could lower tariffs on China if Beijing takes stronger steps to curb fentanyl exports — a key point of contention in bilateral relations.
Expressing optimism, Guo noted that the upcoming talks between Trump and Xi are expected to produce “positive results” for both sides.
The fentanyl trade issue has been a recurring flashpoint between the two nations, with the US pressing China to tighten controls on precursor chemicals used to produce the deadly opioid.
The Trump-Xi meeting at APEC is being closely watched as a potential turning point in US-China relations, balancing trade tensions with cooperation on global security and health concerns.
