"Could be" signing trade deal: Trump hints at possible US-China breakthrough in Busan meeting with Xi Jinping

When a reporter asked, "Mr President, do you plan to sign a trade deal today?" Trump replied, "could-be." Speaking about the state of relations, he added, "We all have a great understanding."

Trump went on to say, "I think we''re going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time, and it is an honor to have you with us." He also described Xi as a "very tough negotiator" before the two leaders began their highly anticipated talks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that both nations'' economic teams had recently achieved a "basic consensus" on major issues, setting the stage for meaningful discussions.

"A few days back, in the latest round of confrontation, our two economic teams reached the basic consensus on addressing our major concerns, which made encouraging progress, which provided the necessary condition for our meeting today. Mr President, I''m ready to continue working with you to build a solid foundation for China-US relations and create a sound atmosphere for the development of both countries," Xi stated.

The meeting came amid escalating tensions between the world''s two largest economies following months of trade disputes. Earlier in the month, Beijing imposed export restrictions, while Washington warned of possible bans on software-driven exports to China, intensifying the standoff.

In the lead-up to the talks, the US outlined several objectives, including curbing the flow of fentanyl into the United States, ensuring TikTok''s divestiture from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, and addressing issues linked to tariffs, technology restrictions, and rare earth trade.

The Trump-Xi discussions took place a day before the APEC Economic Leaders'' Meeting in Gyeongju, scheduled from October 31 to November 1. Global attention now rests on whether Washington and Beijing can ease tensions and strengthen stability in the coming months. (ANI)