“During this meeting, the two presidents will engage in in-depth communication on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major topics of mutual concern,”  Guo Jiakun, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said in a regular news briefing.

Trump is now in South Korea at a summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, where he is due to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi. Trade tensions between the US and China, the world’s two biggest economies, have lingered. Disputes over tariffs, technology and market access remain unresolved.

Guo says head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations.

“During this meeting, the two presidents will engage in in-depth communication on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major topics of mutual concern. We are willing to make joint efforts with the US to ensure the meeting produces positive outcomes, and to provide fresh guidance and new impetus for the stable development of China-US relations. We will release details on the meeting in due course,” Guo said.

–Reuters–