Trump, Xi to make state visits to South Korea next week, Seoul security adviser says
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US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will make state visits to South Korea in the final week of October.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will make state visits next week to South Korea when the country hosts Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) events, South Korea’s top security adviser said on Oct 24.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung plans to hold summit meetings with Mr Trump and Mr Xi separately, said Mr Wi Sung-lac, South Korea’s presidential security adviser.
“Through a series of summits between the leaders of South Korea and the United States, the United States and China, and South Korea and China, we will not only highlight South Korea’s role as a platform but also build consensus for peace, prosperity, and stability in the region,” Mr Wi told reporters.
As part of a trip to Asia, Mr Trump will meet Mr Xi next week in South Korea, the White House said earlier, amid an escalation in trade tensions
Mr Wi said South Korea was hoping to move forward on issues surrounding security and US tariffs at an upcoming meeting between Mr Lee and Mr Trump, but he was uncertain whether any agreement between the two sides would be reached.
South Korea and its major ally remain “sharply” apart on the level of cash investment as part of a US$350 billion (S$454 billion) package pledged by South Korea under a deal to lower US tariffs on the country’s exports, Seoul’s industry minister said on Oct 24.
Mr Lee plans to hold a summit with Mr Xi where the two leaders are expected to discuss a deepening bilateral partnership and issues related to North Korea, said top security adviser Wi.
Before the Apec meetings, Mr Lee will make a two-day trip to Malaysia between Oct 26 and 27 to attend a summit of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean), also joined by Mr Trump.
On the sidelines of the Asean summit, Mr Lee will talk to Cambodia’s prime minister Hun Manet and discuss recent online scam issues.
“A super week of multilateral summits is kicking off, starting with the Asean Summit and continuing into the Apec Summit in Gyeongju,” Mr Wi said. REUTERS
