Trump and Xi to Meet at APEC- Markets Eye a Fragile Reset
The world’s two largest economies will test a fragile détente this week as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet on the sidelines of the APEC 2025 Economic Leaders’ Meeting in South Korea. The high-stakes encounter comes amid renewed trade friction, tightening technology controls, and competing visions for global leadership.
Officials say the talks may yield a limited framework on tariffs and rare-earth exports — a modest but symbolic step after months of escalating restrictions on semiconductors and critical minerals. Investors are watching closely for any sign of easing, as the standoff has rattled supply chains and slowed capital flows across Asia.
On October 28, Trump met Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo — her first major diplomatic engagement since taking office. The two leaders pledged a “new golden age” for the U.S.–Japan alliance, announcing agreements to strengthen supply-chain resilience, deepen defense coordination, and expand cross-border investment in energy and technology. Takaichi emphasized Japan’s commitment to regional stability and lauded the United States as “an indispensable partner in safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
For private-wealth and institutional investors, the outcome of both meetings could shape near-term strategy across commodities, tech equities, and Asia-Pacific real estate. Even a partial thaw could signal new openings in manufacturing, logistics, and cross-border infrastructure — sectors where early capital often gains the quietest advantage.
