Overview

• President Donald Trump said after a phone call with Xi Jinping that they agreed to meet on the sidelines of APEC, their first in-person encounter in more than six years.
• The APEC leaders’ meeting runs Oct. 31–Nov. 1 in Gyeongju, marking the first simultaneous visits by U.S. and Chinese leaders to South Korea in 13 years.
• China signaled willingness to pursue productive commercial negotiations and called on the United States to ensure an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.
• The format of the Trump–Xi encounter has not been determined, and Trump said he plans to visit China early next year with a potential reciprocal visit by Xi to the United States at an appropriate time.
• South Korea says negotiators from all 21 APEC economies are working toward a 'Gyeongju Declaration' under APEC’s consensus rule, with tough talks over WTO-related language and the prospect of a chair’s statement if unanimity cannot be reached.