Laura Bicker
China correspondent, reporting from Busan

This is not a glamorous location for such an auspicious meeting. The airport buildings lie behind barbed wire and checkpoints.

The only sign that the leaders of the two superpowers are inside is the heavy police and media presence. But inside, there’s a lot at stake.

This is not just about tariffs and trade. Both sides have to appear strong but still give each other just enough to de-escalate tensions as we await details of the deal.

We're getting some pictures now of Trump alighting from his Marine One helicopter after it landed in Busan. He is due to meet China's leader Xi Jinping in a few minutes.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Trump has fired off a Truth Social post ahead of his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, ordering the US Department of War to start testing America's nuclear weapons "immediately".

"Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump says., external

He says the US has more nuclear weapons than any other country, with Russia second and China a "distant third". But he adds this "will be even within five years".

Trump acknowledges the "tremendous destructive power" of nuclear weapons, but says he has "no choice" but to update and renovate the US arsenal during his first term.

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with the US President

Trump has been getting what he wants on his Asia trip so far.

In Malaysia, it was participation in a normalisation agreement between Cambodia and Thailand – adding to the list of “peace deals” he can claim to have brokered.

In Tokyo, he received a gushing reception from new prime minister Sanae Takaichi, a disciple of the late Shinzo Abe, who had a close relationship with Trump.

Takaichi gifted Trump Shinzo Abe’s golf bag and putter (the two men shared a passion for the sport). There were signed deals to announce as well – one promising to usher in a “golden age” of US-Japan relations, and another pledging cooperation on critical mineral extraction and processing.

South Korea welcomed Trump with a military band playing YMCA – the Village People hit that has become a Trump rally anthem – gave Trump a fancy award and the replica of an ancient crown.

All of this is a warm-up for Thursday’s meeting with Xi in Busan, however. China is the “big enchilada” in US trade relations, to steal a phrase from Richard Nixon, an American president who knew a thing or two about tense – but productive – Sino-American relations.

And Xi isn’t going to bend over backward to curry favour with Trump the way other leaders on this trip have.

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with the US president

The building where the meeting will take place is just off the tarmac. It has a blue tiled roof and a sign that says “base operations.”

Trump rolled up from Air Force One in his armored limousine and is now in the building.

Fan Wang
Live reporter

There is little information from the White House and Beijing on what the two leaders will talk about. But the two leaders will have different priorities, experts say.

“While Trump wants to address the issues of rare earths, fentanyl, and soybeans, Xi will likely push the US president on files such as US export controls on high-tech products, and may ask for reassurances on Washington’s commitment to its ‘one China’ policy,” says William Yang, senior North East Asia analyst from the International Crisis Group.

Both sides will likely claim victory, according to the think tank’s senior research and advocacy advisor Ali Wyne:“Privately, the two leaders would acknowledge each other’s economic leverage and vulnerabilities, and the attendant imperative of de-escalation."

Publicly, each would declare victory: Trump, by claiming that he has put America’s foremost strategic competitor on notice; and Xi, by claiming that he has showcased China’s resilience and its ability to inflict pain across many sectors of the US economy.”

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, Travelling with US President

Aboard Air Force One on the flight from Japan, Trump told me he was optimistic about today's face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping.

“I know a little bit about what’s going on because we have been talking to them,” he said. “I’m not walking into a meeting cold.”

In a bit of a departure from Trump’s free-wheeling style, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and his Chinese counterparts have worked out the framework of an agreement already.

The US has taken punitive tariffs off the table, raising hopes that China will drop its planned export restrictions on rare earth materials. If they also agree to resume purchases of American agriculture exports, Trump may be able to fly home on Thursday with a big accomplishment in his pocket.

The takeaway: US-China relations have been turbulent since Trump’s first presidential term. The American stock market, which has soared in recent days, seems to be betting that this meeting will open the door to smoother sailing in the days ahead.

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Trump's helicopter Marine One has just landed in Busan's Gimhae International Airport.

This comes shortly after Chinese leader Xi Jinping's arrival. They are due to meet in about half an hour.

Reporters are surrounded by tents that read “Kimhae Air Base.” Chinese media have gathered here too.

Image source, Reuters

This highly-anticipated meeting will take place at the Gimhae International Airport in the South Korean city of Busan - soon after Xi arrives in the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, and just before Trump flies out.

Trump has attended several Apec-related events but will be skipping the main leaders' summit that will begin tomorrow.

Apart from their tight schedules, the airport may have been picked for its high levels of security. South Korean officials have stepped up security around Gimhae airport in recent days - world leaders attending the Apec summit in Gyeongju are also expected to arrive via Busan.

Laura Bicker
China correspondent, in Busan

The Chinese embassy in South Korea appears to have organised a group of people to welcome President Xi to the country.

They are distributing Chinese and Korean flags to staff who are standing by the road, just outside Gimhae airport where the meeting is set to happen.

Police are also preparing for anti-Chinese protests in Busan now that President Xi has arrived.

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent, travelling with the US president

President Trump's helicopter, Marine One, has left for Gimhae airport in the city of Busan, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This comes shortly after Chinese state media reported President Xi’s departure from Beijing.

Osmond Chia
Business reporter

The US and China have seen a turbulent few months despite a shaky trade truce in May to put a stop to tit-for-tat tariffs.

The US has continued to curb its rival’s tech growth by keeping a tight leash on China’s access to Nvidia’s advanced computing chips.

And we saw Beijing go on the offensive by tightening control over its rare earth exports - a pivotal moment in the trade war given how it has a near-monopoly in the processing of the critical minerals that go into electronics, green energy tech and military equipment.

But in recent days, both sides have sought to ease tensions and have left the door open for negotiations.

Today's meeting is a high-stakes one, with economist Tim Harcourt from the University of Technology Sydney calling it "the meeting that resets globalisation in a post-Covid era".

Here's more on how we got here.

Image source, Reuters

Good morning. It’s just coming up to 10:00 in the South Korean city of Busan, where a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping is due to take place.

This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Trump took office in January. Their agenda is expected to cover a wide range of topics - from tariffs to rare earths and the sale of TikTok.

This meeting comes as Trump is on a whirlwind trip across Asia, with South Korea being the last leg of his trip.

We will be bringing you updates throughout the day, together with our reporters on the ground in South Korea - stay with us.

As we wait to hear of more developments, including about the outcome of Trump and Lee's meeting, we will be pausing this live page.

Here's a quick summary of what happened earlier today:

• Trump landed in South Korea - the third and final stop of his Asia tour - on Wednesday morning. He was greeted by an honour guard - and gifts that included a golden crown and the country's highest honour
• He addressed business leaders at the Apec business leaders summit, where he said he was confident that he would be able to strike a 'good deal' with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The two leaders will meet on Thursday- their first meeting since Trump began his second term and imposed tariffs on every country in the world
• We have no word of what Trump and Lee discussed, but experts say it is unlikely that they will have made much headway on a tariff deal - which is currently at a negotiation deadlock. However, Trump praised the US relationship with South Korea as "very special"
• There were some protests against Trump in front of the museum he was due to meet Lee at. It ended with police arresting demonstrators and dragging them away

You can read our news story about Trump's visit to South Korea here.

Yuna Ku
BBC Korean Service, reporting from Gyeongju

Image source, BBC/Yuna Ku

Taxi driver Kim Hyun-soo was the one who drove me near the Gyeongju National Museum, where Presidents Trump and Lee are meeting.

Now in his 70s, Kim has been driving a taxi in Gyeongju for 40 years.

He’s excited to see such a "mega event" taking place in this otherwise quiet city, but he’s also worried about the stalled trade negotiations between South Korea and the US.

Back in July, the two countries agreed to cut "reciprocal" and auto tariffs from 25% to 15% in exchange for South Korea’s $350 billion investment in the US.

"I think $350 billion is way too much," Kim said. "Given the state of our economy, an investment that size could even trigger another financial crisis."

Still, he says his trust in the US remains firm.

"After the Korean War, the US has supported our economy and protected us from North Korean provocations…it’s our best ally."

Image source, Reuters

Trump was not the only famous person who addressed the Apec CEO summit earlier - so did K-pop royalty.

RM, whose real name is Kim Namjoon, also gave a speech about the importance and global impact of Korean culture, particularly K-pop music.

RM is a member of the boy band BTS, considered the kings of K-pop. They are not only one of South Korea's biggest cultural exports, but also one of the most successful boy bands in the world.

Just five minutes away from the summit, a pro-US rally is underway - with hundreds of people in attendance.

We saw earlier that dozens of anti-Trump protesters had gathered outside the venue chanting slogans like "No Trump" and "Trump get out of here!" But the pro-US rally appears to be much larger in terms of numbers.

The US and South Korea are long-standing allies though relations were tested after hundreds of South Korean citizens were detained in an immigration raid in the US last month.

Image source, Reuters

Earlier today Trump received a replica of a gold crown from the ancient Korean kingdom Silla.

He was presented with the crown by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the Gyeongju National Museum.

Officials said the crown "symbolises the spirit of Silla, which brought peace to the Korean Peninsula for the first time". As a reminder, Trump was also given the country's highest honour for his "contribution to peace" on the peninsula.

Gyeongju was once the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC to 935 AD), and the museum is hosting a special exhibition featuring six gold crowns from that era.

The six known Silla crowns, dating from roughly the fifth to sixth centuries, are usually held in separate collections, but have been brought together for the first time to mark the Apec summit.

Image source, News1

What's on the menu for tonight? There's no word of Soju, but the leaders will be drinking from the Trump winery - owned by Eric Trump.

Among the labels on offer are the Trump Chardonnay and the Trump Cabernet Sauvignon

According to the Trump Winery website, a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon goes for $34.99 per bottle - although it is not clear if this is what is going to be served tonight.

Image source, Trump Winery/Screenshot

Also on the menu are items like Chicken and Truffle dumplings, as well as Hanwoo sirloin steak - a premium Korean beef.

Earlier, Donald Trump called India's prime minister Narendra Modi "a killer" and "tough as hell" during a speech at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea.

The president also imitated Modi while reflecting on discussions he had with the Indian leader in May.

Here is a clip of that moment: