President Donald Trump said Wednesday he expects to strike a sweeping agreement on "everything" with Chinese President Xi Jinping at their upcoming meeting in South Korea, signaling potential breakthroughs on agriculture, nuclear talks and trade tensions, The Hill reported.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said that at next week's meeting with Xi, "we'll make a deal on, I think, everything.
"I think we're going to make a deal on soybeans and the farmers. I think we're going to make a deal on maybe even nuclear."
Trump added that in a recent call, Russian President Vladimir Putin also endorsed nuclear de-escalation talks, suggesting a possible trilateral framework.
"We have the most nuclear weapons. Russia is second. China is actually third by a long way, but we'll be even within four or five years," Trump said. "We are talking about de-escalation. It's already being talked about, and I think we'll probably add China into the mix."
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The anticipated Trump-Xi summit comes as the president has escalated economic pressure on Beijing. The White House has kept tariffs from Trump's first term intact and imposed new penalties in response to China's role in the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
Beijing retaliated last week by announcing new restrictions on rare-earth mineral exports, a move that rattled U.S. tech and defense sectors dependent on Chinese critical materials.
Trump warned he is prepared to respond with more tariffs if necessary, while his administration has moved to expand Western supply chains.
Earlier this week, the president signed an agreement with Australia to secure the production and export of rare-earth minerals used in electric vehicles, semiconductors and consumer electronics.
Despite the rising tensions, the president also sought to project confidence that relations with China were manageable.
At his meeting Monday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Trump said the United States holds "great respect" for China.
"It's going to be a great trade deal. It's going to be fantastic for both countries, and it's going to be fantastic for the entire world," he said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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