US President Donald Trump and his advisors are preparing for a visit to South Korea in late October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, which may serve as the stage for a high-profile bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to CNN, while no firm plans have been agreed upon, serious discussions are underway within the administration to facilitate such an encounter, which would be significant given the strained dynamics between Washington and Beijing over tariffs and broader trade disputes.

The potential meeting also gains importance in the backdrop of Trump’s mixed messaging towards Xi and China. Just a week earlier, Trump criticised the SCO Summit in Tianjin—where Xi had hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi—accusing the leaders of conspiring against the United States.

He followed that statement with sarcastic social media posts mocking US estrangement from India and Russia. However, on Friday, he appeared more conciliatory, particularly towards New Delhi, affirming that US–India ties remain highly valued, which drew a warm response from Prime Minister Modi, who reiterated the strength of bilateral friendship.

The South Korea visit itself is being positioned by the White House as a multidimensional engagement centred on economic collaboration, security, trade, and civil nuclear cooperation. Officials stressed that Trump aims to use the trip to secure new economic investments into the United States, while deepening collaboration with Seoul on key strategic sectors.

During his recent interactions with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Trump was formally invited to attend the APEC summit, and discussions floated the possibility of an additional meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the sidelines. Trump himself publicly stated his willingness to meet Kim again, remarking that Kim too was interested in holding talks.

Yet, administration insiders suggest that more weight is currently being placed on arranging a substantive dialogue between Trump and Xi, viewing it as critical amidst intensifying bilateral friction.

Beijing has also played into this narrative, with Xi extending an invitation for Trump and his wife to visit China during a phone call last month, to which Trump reciprocated with an invitation of his own, though no dates were fixed. These overtures, though tentative, highlight an openness to re-establish communication channels at the highest levels.

The timing of this diplomatic push is especially notable as it coincides with a fraught geopolitical environment, where Trump is navigating challenges in maintaining equilibrium across the US’s relations with key Asian powers.

The SCO Summit in Tianjin, where Xi, Kim, Putin, and Modi shared a platform, underscored the growing multipolarity in the region and the risks of perceived US isolation. Trump’s sharp criticism reflected his frustration, portraying the imagery of converging powers as a bloc conspiring against Washington.

Yet, his later assurances about US–India friendship reveal an attempt to ensure that New Delhi’s deepening relations with both Russia and China do not fundamentally weaken India–US ties.

Similarly, by preparing for open channels with both Xi and Kim, Trump’s Asia trip could prove to be a balancing act—aimed at regaining strategic ground in East Asia while softening tensions with Beijing. It also has an eye on potential personal diplomacy with Kim, which in the past has given Trump both international media attention and symbolic leverage.

With the APEC Summit serving as the immediate context, Trump’s October visit to South Korea could therefore carry outsized significance. The administration is emphasizing themes of economic collaboration and investment, but the real geopolitical weight will rest on whether Trump successfully engages Xi—and possibly Kim.

Should these meetings materialise, they would come at a tense moment in Washington’s relations with Beijing and Pyongyang but could also provide momentum towards renewed negotiations. Failure to secure such encounters, however, might reinforce narratives of US diplomatic marginalisation in a rapidly shifting Asian balance of power.

In this sense, the trip not only offers economic opportunities but also presents a high-stakes test of Trump’s ability to manoeuvre in a complex strategic landscape where symbolism, alliances, and negotiations are intertwined.

Based On ANI Report