China’s Xi to meet Canadian, Japanese leaders after Trump trade truce

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With the leader of the worlds biggest economy absent, attention turns to Mr Xi, who is expected to hold his first talks with Japans newly elected leader Sanae Takaichi.

PHOTO: REUTERS

GYEONGJU, South Korea - Chinas Xi Jinping will take centre stage at an annual gathering of Pacific Rim leaders in South Korea on Oct 31, holding talks with Canadian and Japanese counterparts after securing a fragile trade truce with US President Donald Trump.

That agreement, struck just before Mr Trump left South Korea, skipping the main two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, will

suspend further curbs on Chinas exports of rare earths

Bolstering supply chains is a key focus of 2025’s Apec talks, hosted in the historic town of Gyeongju.

The 21-member economic club aims to encourage cooperation and reduce trade and investment barriers, though decisions made at meetings are non-binding and consensus has been increasingly difficult.

With the leader of the worlds biggest economy absent, attention turns to Mr Xi, who is expected to hold his first talks with Japans newly elected leader Sanae Takaichi.

While relations between the historic rivals have been on a sounder footing in recent years, Ms Takaichis surprise elevation to become

Japans first female leader

One of her first acts since taking office last week was to accelerate a military build-up focused on defending Japans islands from an increasingly assertive China.