SINGAPORE – Trade representatives from the US and China have laid the groundwork for a highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as last-minute talks in South Korea appear to have ended on a positive note.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng met behind closed doors at a VIP area at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport on May 13, hours before Mr Trump landed in Beijing to begin a three-day state visit – the first trip to China by a US president since 2017.

The meeting in Seoul lasted about three hours, concluding around 3.50pm local time (2.50pm in Singapore), according to Bloomberg.

Chinese state media said the two delegations held “candid, in-depth and constructive” exchanges on trade and economic issues of mutual concern, as well as on further expanding practical cooperation. There were no immediate details about the specific issues that were discussed.

Aside from Mr He, China’s ​lead trade negotiator, Vice-Commerce Minister Li Chenggang, and Vice-​Finance Minister Liao Min, were also at the meeting in Seoul.

The American and Chinese trade teams last met face-to-face in Paris in March, shortly after the US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb 28.

The ongoing war in the Middle East led to Mr Trump delaying his trip to China, which was originally slated for the end of March.

He landed in Beijing at 7.50pm on May 13 and was greeted by China’s Vice-President Han Zheng.

Speaking to reporters in Washington on May 11, Mr Trump had said he would discuss the issue of Iran, as well as energy security and arms sales to Taiwan, when he meets Mr Xi in Beijing on May 14 and May 15, though he later said