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US President Donald Trump departed for Asia on Saturday, embarking on a diplomatic tour that includes high-stakes trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the possibility of a surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump’s journey will take him through Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea — his first visit to the region since returning to the White House in January.
The trip’s highlight will be a meeting with Xi in South Korea aimed at striking a deal to end the prolonged trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said he expected “a very good meeting” with Xi and was confident that China would seek to avoid the 100 per cent tariffs set to take effect on November 1.
A US Treasury spokesperson confirmed that trade negotiators from both countries had concluded a “very constructive” round of talks in Malaysia, with discussions set to continue on Sunday.
Adding intrigue to the trip, Trump hinted that he might meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — their first encounter since 2019. “I’m open to it,” Trump told reporters, describing his past relationship with Kim as “great.”
When asked if he would recognise North Korea as a nuclear state, Trump replied, “They’ve got a lot of nuclear weapons; I’ll say that.”
South Korea’s reunification minister has said there is a “considerable” chance of a Trump-Kim meeting while the US president is in the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Kim has previously signalled a willingness to meet again if Washington drops its demand for denuclearisation.
Trump’s first stop will be Malaysia, where he is expected to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit — an event he skipped multiple times during his first term.
He will sign a trade deal with Malaysia and witness a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, moves that align with his ongoing push for global peace recognition, including his oft-mentioned ambition for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump is also scheduled to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the summit to repair strained relations with the leftist leader.
In Japan, where he will arrive on Monday, Trump plans to meet the country’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader.
He praised Takaichi as a “disciple” of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump enjoyed a close personal rapport.
Japan has largely escaped the brunt of Trump’s global tariff policies, which he claims are designed to correct “unfair trade balances ripping off the United States.”
The most anticipated leg of Trump’s trip will be South Korea, where he will arrive in Busan on Wednesday before attending the APEC summit in Gyeongju.
He will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, address business leaders at a luncheon, and dine with top US technology executives.
Trump’s face-to-face meeting with Xi on Thursday will be their first since his return to office.
Investors and policymakers will be watching closely to see if the two leaders can defuse the escalating trade war, particularly after recent tensions over Beijing’s rare-earth export curbs.
Although Trump had previously threatened to cancel the talks and impose new tariffs, he later confirmed the meeting would proceed.
He also plans to raise concerns over the flow of fentanyl from China, pressing Xi to take stronger measures to curb trafficking of the deadly opioid — an issue Trump has tied to his broader campaign against Latin American drug cartels.
With trade tensions, security issues, and a potential diplomatic surprise all on the table, Trump’s Asia tour could prove one of the defining moments of his second term.
