Donald Trump to meet Xi Jinping on Oct 30 amid US-China friction. What can be expected?

Trump will meet with Xi on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/9vEtlHsH2H

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 23, 2025

1. Trade / Economic Issues

• Resumption or increase of Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods (e.g., soybeans) — Trump has flagged this. 

• Rare earths and strategic minerals: China has introduced tighter export controls, the U.S. sees this as a leverage point. 

• Tariffs and trade structure: The U.S. is pushing for more favourable access / less distortion; China wants to maintain autonomy. 

2. Security / Geopolitical Issues

• The Taiwan question: While unlikely to be resolved, it is expected to be raised, especially given its strategic as well as symbolic importance.

• Export controls and technology competition: U.S. concerns about China’s tech policies, China’s push for greater self-reliance. 

• Possibly cooperation on global issues: such as drug trafficking (notably fentanyl) or Russia/Ukraine, though these may remain peripheral. 

3. Signalling / Diplomacy

• Both leaders likely want to send a message: Trump to show he can “get a deal”, China to show it won’t be pushed into unacceptable concessions. Analysts see this meeting less as a peace treaty and more as a high-level reset or re-engagement. 

• The venue (third country, side-lines of APEC) suggests a lower-stakes summit than a dedicated bilateral summit, which may indicate limited ambition.