S. Korea's Lee: Xi to attend APEC summit, Yonhap

S. Korea's Lee: Xi to attend APEC summit, Yonhap

Seoul, July 2, 2025 — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea [1]. The summit is scheduled for late October to early November. However, the attendance of U.S. President Donald Trump remains undecided, according to Jeong Kyu-jae, a former editor-in-chief of the Korean Economic Daily [1].

Lee Jae Myung shared details of his luncheon meeting with conservative critic Jeong Kyu-jae, during which he mentioned Xi Jinping's planned visit to the APEC summit. Lee also hinted that Trump's attendance is still being considered, suggesting that a decision has not yet been made [1].

The APEC summit, which brings together 21 economies from the Asia-Pacific region, is expected to focus on economic cooperation and trade. South Korea is hosting the event, which is a significant opportunity for the country to showcase its economic prowess and diplomatic efforts [1].

Meanwhile, Lee Jae Myung remains undecided on whether he will attend China's military parade in September, which marks the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II. This decision comes after China has sounded out South Korea about his possible attendance [1].

The news of Xi Jinping's attendance at the APEC summit comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed optimism about the possibility of a summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this year, following "constructive" discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi [2]. Rubio emphasized the need to build the right atmosphere and deliverables for such a meeting to be successful.

The potential Trump-Xi summit is seen as an opportunity to address the escalating trade tensions between the two global powers. Despite these tensions, China's total exports have increased by 4.8%, indicating potential efforts to circumvent the current U.S. trade and tariff regime [2].

References:
[1] https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250712002100315?section=national/diplomacy
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46365654/xi-jinping-could-meet-trump-this-year-marco-rubio-says-after-very-constructive-talks-with-wang-yi-the-odds-are-high