WASHINGTON: The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on October 30, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

The long-anticipated meeting comes after weeks of uncertainty, as tensions between the world’s two largest economies have deepened over trade and technology restrictions.

It will mark the first in-person encounter between Trump and Xi since Trump’s return to office.

The bilateral talks are scheduled ahead of the APEC Summit, set to take place from October 31 to November 1 in Gyeongju, South Korea.

The discussion is expected to focus heavily on trade, with Trump recently threatening to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting November unless Beijing eases its curbs on rare earth exports.

The South Korea stop is part of Trump’s broader Asia tour, which also includes his participation in the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia this Sunday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a briefing on Thursday, said the meeting “underscores President Trump’s commitment to fair trade and regional stability,” confirming that preparations for the high-stakes encounter have been underway for several weeks.