the art of the deal trump moves forward

President Donald Trump said Friday he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional summit in South Korea at the end of October and plans to visit China early next year. In a post on Truth Social, Trump added that Xi would come to the United States “at an appropriate time” and said the two leaders had also signed off on a TikTok deal. Beijing also described the call as “positive” and “constructive,” though Xi stopped short of confirming a deal on the future of TikTok. According to China’s official Xinhua News Agency, Xi reiterated Beijing’s stance on the app and urged the United States to avoid unilateral trade restrictions. Later Friday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that American investors are lined up and that Xi has been “a gentleman” about it. However, he was vague on the question of whether China would continue to control the algorithm for the social video platform. “It’s all being worked out,” Trump said. “We’re going to have very good control.” Why It Matters The call was Trump’s second with Xi since returning to the White House and imposing steep tariffs that escalated trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Still, Trump has signaled openness to new agreements with Beijing, including a deal on TikTok, which faces a U.S. ban unless its Chinese parent divests its stake.

What to Know Negotiators from both sides met in Madrid this week and said they had agreed to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations to American investors, pending approval from the two leaders. Trump and Xi last spoke in June to ease tensions over China’s limits on rare earth exports, critical for products from smartphones to fighter jets. Ahead of Friday’s call, Trump said the two leaders were “very close” to deals on TikTok and trade, adding that his relationship with China was “very good.” He also suggested Russia’s war in Ukraine could end if Europe raised tariffs on Beijing, though he did not say whether he would impose new U.S. tariffs over China’s oil purchases from Moscow. The Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to confirm any summit plans, but spokesperson Liu Pengyu said head-of-state diplomacy remains key to guiding relations. U.S. and Chinese officials have held four rounds of trade talks since May, with another expected soon, but major disputes remain unresolved. Both sides have paused steep tariffs and eased some export controls, yet no progress has been announced on tech restrictions, farm purchases or fentanyl. What People Are Saying Trump posted on Truth Social, “I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal. I also agreed with President Xi that we would meet at the APEC Summit in South Korea, that I would go to China in the early part of next year, and that President Xi would, likewise, come to the United States at an appropriate time. The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!” Beijing’s statement said, China “would be happy to see productive commercial negotiations in keeping with market rules lead to a solution that complies with China’s laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. The U.S. side needs to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.” The Chinese statement said Xi stressed the importance of ties between the two nations and urged the U.S. side to avoid imposing any trade restrictions: “Both sides need to work hard and in the same direction, so as to realize mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” the Chinese statement said. Wendy Cutler of the Asia Society Policy Institute told the Associated Press the Chinese statement indicated Beijing’s willingness to “play hardball, and a need to get paid by Washington for any concessions it makes” regarding the TikTok deal: “This will complicate the talks, particularly if China continues to insist on relaxation of U.S. export controls and tariffs, areas where the U.S. is reluctant to move.” HON BRIAN SCAVO