President Trump embarks on his first trip to the region since returning to office, with a volatile trade war and a quest for a Nobel Prize hanging in the balance.
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| US President Donald Trump is making his first trip to Asia of his second term (SAUL LOEB) |
CaliToday (/2025): U.S. President Donald Trump is setting the stage for a geopolitical showdown this week as he embarks on a major tour of Asia. All eyes are fixed on a high-stakes meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, a confrontation that carries massive implications for the fragile global economy.
Trump, 79, characterized the visit to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea as a "big trip" his first to the region since returning to the White House on a wave of steep tariffs and relentless geopolitical brinkmanship.
The centerpiece of this diplomatic whirlwind will be his talks with Xi, scheduled for October 30 in Gyeongju, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The meeting itself was only recently secured. Trump had previously threatened to scrap the talks amidst a dangerous flare-up in the U.S.-China trade war, which recently saw Beijing curb rare earth mineral exports. However, Trump reversed course on Wednesday, signaling a dramatic shift in tone and declaring he now hoped for a "deal on everything."
Global markets will be watching anxiously to see if the leaders of the world's two largest economies can pull back from the brink. In a sign of his broad ambitions, Trump also said he hopes Xi can wield "big influence" over Russia's Vladimir Putin to help end the war in Ukraine.
A Red Carpet for an Unpredictable President
As Trump prepares to land, host nations are reportedly scrambling to "roll out the red carpet" for the unpredictable U.S. leader. Desperate to stay on his good side, allies are hoping to secure exemptions from punishing tariffs and bolster security agreements.
South Korea, which is seeking its own favorable trade deal, is reportedly considering the rare step of awarding Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa the nation's highest civilian decoration during his visit.
Despite Trump's newfound optimism, analysts urge caution.
"The meeting will be a data point along an existing continuum rather than an inflection point in the relationship," warned Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, suggesting a major breakthrough is unlikely.
First Stops: Peace Deals and New Allies
Before the main event in Korea, Trump's trip begins in Southeast Asia. He departs Washington on Friday and will arrive in Malaysia on Sunday for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit — a meeting he notably skipped several times during his first term.
In Malaysia, Trump is expected to ink a new trade deal, but his primary focus may be on diplomacy. He is set to oversee the signing of a landmark peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, a move seen as part of his ongoing and public quest for a Nobel Peace Prize.
"President Trump is keen to see the more positive results of the peace negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia," confirmed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In a potential effort to mend fences, U.S. and Brazilian officials also told AFP that Trump may meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the summit after months of acrimony.
From there, Trump travels to Tokyo on Monday. On Tuesday, he will hold a significant meeting with Sanae Takaichi, who was just named Japan's first-ever female prime minister. Japan has, so far, navigated Trump's "America First" trade policy skillfully, escaping the worst of the tariffs he has slapped on allies worldwide to end what he calls "ripping off the United States."
The Korean Climax and a Nuclear Wildcard
The trip will reach its climax in South Korea. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump will land in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday.
His schedule is packed: he will meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, address an APEC lunch with top business leaders, and hold a private dinner with U.S. tech bosses before heading to Gyeongju for the summit.
But the visit is not without its signature volatility. North Korea, the region's perennial wildcard, will be high on the agenda. Just days before Trump's arrival, Pyongyang fired multiple ballistic missiles in a clear show of defiance.
The provocation has fueled intense speculation. On Thursday, South Korean officials confirmed they had halted public tours in parts of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. This move has sparked rumors of a potential new, impromptu meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump, who held several historic summits with Kim in his first term, has said he hopes to meet him again. However, White House officials have provided no confirmation that a third face-to-face is being planned for this trip.