President Donald Trump said he plans to raise the issues of Taiwan, imprisoned Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, and Russia’s war in Ukraine during his upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, signaling a wide-ranging agenda amid ongoing trade and geopolitical tensions.
Speaking to reporters on Oct. 24 on the South Lawn of the White House and then aboard Air Force One as he departed for a week-long swing through Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, Trump previewed a sweeping agenda from agriculture and trade to regional security and human rights.
“We have a lot of things to discuss, including our farmers,” Trump said aboard Air Force One when asked what he expects from the Xi meeting. “A lot of things to discuss—the various trade deals that have been made in the past, some broken, some not broken. … I think it’s going to turn out to be a very good meeting.”
Trump said Taiwan would be among the topics raised.
“I’ll be talking about Taiwan. Won’t be going there, but I’ll be talking about it,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “Won’t be too far away. A lot of respect for Taiwan.”
On board Air Force One, Trump was asked about his earlier comments that he doesn’t think China would make any moves against Taiwan, which Beijing has long considered a rogue breakaway island that it has vowed to eventually reunite with the Chinese mainland.
“I hope they won’t, but we’ll have to see. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t,” Trump replied. “I hope they won’t. It would be very dangerous for them to do.”
Trump added that he believes China “wants to have 10 great years—and they can … or they can have some bad years—and they don’t want that.”
He also said he intends to bring up the case of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon and founder of Apple Daily, who has been imprisoned since 2020 under Hong Kong’s national security law, widely seen a key part the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) bid to erode the city’s autonomy and crack down on dissent.
“It’s on my list—I’m gonna ask,” Trump said on the South Law, adding that he understands there’s considerable animosity between Lai and Xi, but “it’s been a long time and it’ll be on my list.”
Tariffs, Concessions, Russia
Trump described the talks with Xi as a two-way negotiation that could involve movement from both sides—while keeping the threat of new tariffs in reserve.
“They have to make concessions—I guess we would too,” he said. “We’re at 157 percent tariff for them. I don’t think that’s sustainable for them, and they want to get that down. And we want certain things from them. I think it will be very good.”
Pressed on the odds he’ll follow through with an additional 100 percent tariff on Nov. 1 if there’s no deal, Trump expressed his expectation for a compromise to be struck.
“I don’t want to predict odds,“ Trump replied. ”I don’t think they would want that. That would not be good for them.”
U.S. trade negotiators have said they have been in touch with their Chinese counterparts since Beijing imposed sweeping restrictions on rare-earth exports earlier this month, a move that prompted Washington to retaliate with 100 percent tariffs. American officials have said the Chinese curbs could disrupt global supply chains for critical minerals even in countries not directly trading with China, while the European Union and the International Monetary Fund have joined the United States in urging Beijing to reverse the measures.
China controls roughly 90 percent of global rare-earth processing, a long-standing U.S. concern. Trump said the restrictions would hurt China more than the United States.
“At a certain point, they will not be able to do any business with us. At a certain point, if they pay enough tariffs, it’s almost like saying, ‘We don’t want to do business with you,’” Trump told reporters on Oct. 20 after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, during which he announced a critical minerals deal.
Trump has said he expects Beijing to respond by easing the export limits, tightening controls on fentanyl precursors, and resuming purchases of U.S. soybeans. He also said he wants fair trading terms that reduce the imbalance of American investment flowing into China.
On Russia, Trump said he will press Xi to “help us out” in curbing Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine.
“We put very big sanctions on Russia. … They’re very biting, they’re very strong—but I’d like to see China help us out,” Trump said on board Air Force One. “One of the things we’ll talk about is the Russia–Ukraine [war]. They’re killing 7,000 people a week—soldiers, mostly soldiers—and we’ll certainly be talking about that. He’d like to see that end, too.”
Trump’s Asia trip includes stops in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, his first to the region since assuming office for a second term.
