Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged as the central figure at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea after striking a tentative trade truce with U.S. President Donald Trump. The deal pauses further restrictions on China’s rare earth exports, easing fears of global supply chain disruptions. With Trump skipping the main summit sessions, Xi’s presence dominated discussions on trade, cooperation, and economic stability.
Why It Matters:
The meeting marks a key moment in China’s efforts to project leadership in a fractured global economy. Xi’s call for multilateralism comes as U.S.-China tensions persist over trade, technology, and Taiwan. Meanwhile, APEC’s difficulty in reaching consensus underscores the growing strain between major powers despite shared economic interests.
China: Seeks to position itself as a stabilizing global player post-trade truce.
United States: Focused on balancing deterrence with limited economic cooperation.
Japan: Led by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose hawkish stance could test relations with Beijing.
Canada: Looking to reset ties with China after years of diplomatic friction.
ASEAN & South Korea: Striving to maintain regional stability and unity in trade policy.
What’s Next:
Xi will hold separate meetings with Japan’s Takaichi, Canada’s Mark Carney, and Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul, signaling a broad diplomatic push. South Korea hopes to deliver a joint APEC statement a rare outcome given recent geopolitical fractures. Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to address business leaders, highlighting tech’s central role in regional trade dynamics.
With information from Reuters.
