Trump preparing South Korea visit for APEC Summit

New Delhi, Sep 7: CNN reported that President Donald Trump and his top advisers are preparing for a visit to South Korea in October to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers’ summit.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in the city of Gyeongju between late October and early November, according to three Trump administration officials.

The summit is seen as a key opportunity for Trump to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. Officials told CNN there have been serious discussions about a possible bilateral meeting on the sidelines, though no final decision has been made. Xi had invited Trump and his wife to China during a recent phone call, and Trump extended a similar invitation, but no dates have been set. A White House official told CNN that discussions on Trump’s visit to South Korea include plans to focus on economic cooperation, trade, defence and civil nuclear ties. The administration is also considering the trip as a chance to attract more economic investments to the United States, similar to Trump’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

Trump may also get an opportunity to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the trip, though officials say efforts are currently more focused on arranging a meeting with Xi. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had invited Trump to attend the APEC summit and suggested the gathering could serve as a venue for a meeting with Kim. Trump later told reporters he was open to such talks. CNN noted that Trump’s expected visit comes at a sensitive moment in his relations with both Xi and Kim. Earlier this week, Xi hosted Kim, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Beijing  at SCO.