WEB DESK: Donald Trump has expressed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his upcoming visit to Asia. Speaking to reporters, the US president stated that he is open to such a meeting, emphasizing his previous “great relationship” with Kim.
During his first term, Trump made history by becoming the first sitting US president to step into North Korea, marking their last meeting in 2019 with a highly publicized handshake.
The current trip will take Trump to several countries, including Malaysia and Japan, where he is set to engage with various world leaders, among them China’s Xi Jinping. This comes amid ongoing trade negotiations prompted by Trump’s earlier implementation of extensive tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump’s itinerary begins in Malaysia, where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit. From there, he is scheduled to travel to Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday for the Apec summit. During his time in South Korea, he plans to meet with President Lee Jae Myung, who previously visited the White House in August to discuss peace initiatives on the Korean peninsula and the potential for another Trump-Kim meeting.
Meanwhile, Trump’s talks with China’s President Xi Jinping will take place against the backdrop of a protracted trade war between the two economic powerhouses. While both countries have temporarily paused the imposition of significant additional tariffs as they continue negotiations, tensions remain high. Trump recently threatened to impose a 100% trade tariff on Chinese goods in response to Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth exports.
These minerals, critical for the production of various electronic devices, are predominantly supplied by China, which currently accounts for around 90% of their refined exports.
