The Geopolitical Ramifications of the Trump and Xi Meeting

On October 30, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, for a high-stakes summit that marked their first face-to-face dialogue in six years. The meeting yielded short-term trade agreements, including reduced tariffs and relaxed restrictions on rare earth minerals, but left deeper geopolitical tensions unresolved.

This Global Connections event invites participants to unpack the broader implications of this summit. From shifts in global trade dynamics to strategic recalibrations in Asia and beyond, we’ll explore how this meeting could reshape the international landscape. During the discussion, be prepared to discuss the following topics below.

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• The significance of the “Gimhae Détente” and its impact on global markets
• Strategic messaging and power dynamics between the U.S. and China
• Implications for allies like South Korea and Japan amid transactional diplomacy
• The role of rare earths, fentanyl, and soybeans in trade negotiations
• Long-term prospects for U.S.–China relations and global stability

Resources
6 takeaways from Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi | PBS News