Trump eyes possible Xi reunion at Apec as diplomacy shifts into high gear

US Treasury Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that Trump may travel to China in November 2026 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, one of four possible in-person meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2026.

Speaking on CNBC shortly before US markets opened, Bessent said the US and China will always be natural rivals, but their relationship is currently in a good place.

Addressing a central concern for Trump and his team – rising inflation and the fortune of American farmers hard-hit by his trade war with China – Bessent said Chinese purchases of US soybeans are “right on schedule”, addressing an agreement reached October 30 for Beijing to buy 87.5 million metric tons of US grain over the next three and a half years.

“Affordability” and the impact of tariffs and inflation on average Americans have become growing concerns for the Republican Party and the president as the 2026 midterm elections come into focus, with the farm vote central to a strong showing.

Four in-person meetings in about a year between the leaders of the two countries would be noteworthy.

In addition to the possible trip by Trump to the Apec summit in Shenzhen next November, Trump said Monday he accepted an invitation to travel to Beijing in April and expected to host Xi for a reciprocal state visit in the US. Xi might also travel to the United States for the annual meeting of the Group of 20 industrialised nations scheduled to be held at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Florida.

  

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