“I think it’s going to work out very well,” was President Donald Trump’s confident forecast for his upcoming “big meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking from Tokyo on Tuesday, Trump confirmed the talks are set for Thursday in South Korea. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
This optimism comes despite a serious new flare-up in the trade war. The US has threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese goods, effective November 1.
This was in retaliation for China’s new controls on rare earth mineral exports. The dispute has since escalated with US port fees and Chinese countermeasures.
Trump, however, maintained his positive outlook, calling the upcoming discussion “fantastic” and “great for everybody.”
He also emphasized that the discussion would be substantive. “I have a lot to talk about with President Xi,” Trump said, adding that he expects the same from his counterpart: “the Chinese leader also has a lot to talk about with us.”