Trump, Xi meet after six years, vow to reset US-China ties amid tensions

Trump and Xi signal diplomatic thaw after six-year gap, renew focus on cooperation and trade stability

October 30, 2025

Trump and Xi meet in Seoul after six years — a handshake for stability

Trump and Xi signal diplomatic thaw after six-year gap

Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday met Chinese President Xi Jinping face-to-face for the first time in six years, striking a conciliatory tone as he pledged to build a “fantastic relationship” with the Chinese leader despite ongoing tensions between the two nations.

“It’s a great honor… I think we’re going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time — and it’s an honor to have you with us,” Trump said during their meeting in Seoul.

Trump went on to describe Xi as “a great leader of a great country,” adding that both sides had “already agreed to a lot of things” and would continue to build on those agreements.

Xi, in turn, called for cooperation and stability between the world’s two largest economies. “China and the US can jointly shoulder our responsibility as major countries and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of our two countries and the whole world,” the Chinese president said, emphasizing that while the nations may not always see eye to eye, they should aim to be “partners and friends.”

Following the meeting, Trump announced that the China rare earths agreement—a key trade understanding between the two nations—would remain valid for one year, with an option for renewal. Calling the talks “a great success,” Trump suggested that the meeting marked the beginning of a new chapter in US-China relations.

The encounter marked the first meeting between the two leaders since the 2019 G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, where discussions centered on trade and tariff disputes. At that time, both Trump and Xi had emphasized the need for dialogue and mutual benefit in navigating economic disagreements.

As Trump seeks to project a statesmanlike image amid global uncertainty, his renewed engagement with Xi comes at a time when Washington and Beijing remain at odds over trade, technology, and security issues — but Thursday’s meeting suggested a potential thaw in diplomatic tone.

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