November 2, 2025

The annual APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, buzzed with energy as leaders from 21 Asia-Pacific nations gathered to discuss big economic issues. But the real fireworks happened when U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sideline. Their surprise meeting resulted in a temporary truce on the bitter trade war, causing waves of relief around the world. The Trump-Xi talk shifted tense trade battles into a calmer zone. Trump, famous for his tough stand against multinational deals, quickly left South Korea after sealing agreements with Xi. This move let Xi shine at the rest of the summit. On Friday, during APEC's opening session, Xi proudly declared China’s support for global free trade and promised to keep supply chains stable. His message aimed to position China as a friendlier global partner compared to Trump's “America first” approach. Xi's written remarks to the CEO summit said, "Investing in China is investing in the future." Xi also held one-on-one meetings with leaders from Japan, Canada, and Thailand. On Saturday, he was scheduled to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to chat about denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula – a hot topic that stirred trouble. North Korea, not part of APEC, got very angry. Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho blasted South Korea for dreaming about nukes going away, calling it "a pipedream" that would never come true. Pak's sharp words seemed like a warning to both Seoul and Beijing before their big talks. President Trump had hoped to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his stay but got no answer. Trump and Kim met thrice during 2018-19, but their nuclear talks eventually fell apart. Now, North Korea refuses to freeze its growing nuclear arsenal, aiming instead to gain serious sanctions relief for a small step back. Beyond trade war peace, Friday’s APEC talks pushed ideas to boost trade and investment. The final day aimed to tackle challenges like artificial intelligence, aging populations, and new economic growth strategies. South Korea, as the host, pushed hard for a joint declaration to wrap up the summit. Past attempts failed—in 2018, the U.S.-China trade dust-up killed the chance for a unified statement. This year, officials admitted a strong joint statement backing free trade was unlikely due to member disagreements. Since its start in 1989, APEC has championed free and open trade to grow regional economies. But today, it faces tough problems: U.S.-China rivalry, supply chain troubles, aging societies, and AI’s impact on jobs. Trump’s “America first” policies and tariffs have shaken up global markets, threatening years of peaceful global cooperation. With the trade truce and tough talks on the horizon, Asia-Pacific watches closely to see who will lead the region into a new future of trade, tech, and peace.

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Tags: Apec Summit, Trump, Xi jinping, Trade War Truce, China-Us Relations, North Korea Tensions,