Trump’s mission in East Asia; Peacemaking, moneymaking or political adventure? – Mehr news agency RCO News Agency

Mehr News Agency, International Group, Hassan Shokohi Nasab: Trump left Washington on the night of Friday, October 24, 2025 (November 2, 1404) for East Asia; A trip that has created many questions in the public mind. This is the first visit of the American president to the Asia-Pacific region in his second term as president, while the US federal government is spending its fourth week of vacation.

The journey starts from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, which hosts the 47th ASEAN Summit (October 26-28). After that, Trump will travel to Japan to meet with the country’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The final destination of this five-day trip is South Korea, which will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. The White House has confirmed that Trump will meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on October 30.

But this trip has been formed in the shadow of a deep contradiction; The contradiction that can be seen in the statements of Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, and he sharply emphasized: “America is closed and the president is leaving town.”

negotiations in the shadow of the internal crisis; Economic diplomacy or political adventure

Trump has gone to East Asia while the US federal government has closed for the 24th day in a row due to the deadlock over the budget. More than a million government employees continue to work without pay or are on furlough as the president negotiates billions in contracts on the longest foreign trip of his second term.

According to observers, two huge investment agreements are at the center of the economic strategy of this trip. Japan has already pledged to invest 550 billion dollars in the American economy; The agreement that was signed before this trip. South Korea is also negotiating an investment package worth 350 billion dollars, which has not yet been finalized, but Trump hopes to reach a conclusion during this trip.

In exchange for these investments, Trump has agreed to reduce his tariffs; Tariffs that have been reduced from 25% to 15% in recent months. This reduction shows that Trump, despite his aggressive approach on tariffs, is actually ready to negotiate and compromise; Of course, on the condition that large investments are made in America.

One of the most important events of this trip will be Trump’s meeting with Takaichi, the new Prime Minister of Japan. She is the first woman in this position, a former student of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a close friend of Trump. This meeting can strengthen the relationship between the two countries in the new era, especially in the field of security and military, where Japan plays a vital role in dealing with regional threats, including North Korea and China.

But Malaysia as the first travel destination has its own challenges. Trump said that he will participate in the ASEAN summit only if he can supervise the signing of the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand; An agreement that Trump claims to have played a key role in brokering. The White House has even requested that China not attend the signing ceremony, even though Beijing has also been involved in the peace talks. The strange request reflects Trump’s desire to monopolize peacemaking honors in the region, even if it complicates diplomatic relations.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington describes the trip as two messages: the first message is that Trump is a peacemaker; The second message is that Trump is a money maker. This analysis shows that Trump is trying to present a dual image of himself: a leader who can both stabilize the region and bring profitable economic agreements to the United States.

Battle of rare earths; The pressure levers of Beijing and Washington on the eve of the Trump-Xi meeting

One of the most sensitive topics on the agenda of the possible meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping is the issue of rare earths; Minerals without which high-tech industries are paralyzed. The recent tension over these strategic materials shows how far the trade war between the US and China can turn into a full-fledged geo-economic battle.

In October 2025, China decided to expand rare earth export restrictions and impose new controls on rare earth magnets and minerals. This action by Beijing was a direct response to Trump’s tariff pressures and quickly escalated tensions.

In his initial reaction on October 9, Trump threatened to cancel a meeting with Xi and impose 100 percent tariffs on all Chinese goods if China did not lift the restrictions. In an angry tweet, he wrote that China “forced me” and that these actions were “unacceptable”.

China’s dominance over the rare earth industry is a great advantage for this superpower. China owns about 70% of the global production and 90% of the processing of these minerals. These rare earths are used in the manufacture of a wide range of vital products: electric cars, smartphones, wind turbines, guided missiles, fifth-generation fighters and advanced radar systems.

Without rare earths, American defense and technology industries face a serious crisis. This fact is Beijing’s trump card in negotiations. China knows that the US can hardly find a quick substitute for these materials, even if it expands domestic mining.

But Trump backed down after a week, on October 17. He said in a press conference that “a 100% tariff on China is unworkable. We are still dependent on imports from China”; This clear admission shows the limits of American power against China’s monopoly on these strategic materials.

2 days later, on October 19, Trump made three key demands from Xi: first, the lifting of restrictions on the export of rare earths; Second, controlling the export of fentanyl precursors to the United States and third, increasing the purchase of American soybeans by China. The demands show that Trump is trying to negotiate a comprehensive package with Beijing that covers the interests of American farmers, the drug crisis and national security.

Overall, the rare earth battle is an example of the changing nature of trade war. It’s not just about tariffs anymore; Rather, it is about controlling vital supply chains, access to strategic materials, and bargaining power in the geo-economic arena. In this battle, China has powerful levers, but America is also looking for creative ways to reduce this dependence.

The prospect of reconciliation or the beginning of a new trade war?

As mentioned, the Trump-Xi meeting will be held on October 30 on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea. This is the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House. Interestingly, China has not yet officially confirmed this meeting; A tactic that is being evaluated to maintain pressure on Washington.

Trump is optimistic and hopes to have an agreement on everything, and also wants China’s influence on Putin to end the war in Ukraine; Key issues include counter-tariffs, technology export controls, fentanyl, soybeans and even Ukraine.

Analysts of the Center for Strategic and International Studies believe that a partial agreement is more likely than a major agreement. There are deep structural differences between the two countries that cannot be resolved in one meeting. The possibility of Trump meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also discussed, which can change the dynamics of the region.

The main concern is that the previous tariff truce has reduced Washington’s bargaining power. By strengthening relations with Europe, Russia and the Global South, China is no longer as dependent on the American market. On the other hand, Trump admits that he is under contradictory internal pressures; Farmers want more exports, tech industries worry about restrictions, and conservatives want tougher policy.

On the other hand, South Korea, as the host, tries to maintain a balance between the two superpowers. President Lee Jae-myung hopes that this meeting will be a bridge for dialogue. Global financial markets are anxiously awaiting the outcome, as stock indices, oil and gold prices will all be affected by the talks.

final word

Trump’s Asian trip reflects the deep contradictions of American politics. During the government shutdown, the president is haggling over billions of dollars. The trip shows that Trump is still sticking to his negotiating approach of big deals, threatening tariffs and showmanship diplomacy.

But beyond the shows, Trump is also looking at the trip from the perspective that agreements with Japan and South Korea could create thousands of jobs in the United States, a meeting with Xi could reduce or escalate tensions, and mediation in ASEAN could strengthen American influence.

Now we have to wait and see if Trump can balance domestic and foreign interests during this five-day trip, and whether his meeting with the object will be a turning point or a temporary break?