Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Asia-Pacific leaders on Friday that his country would help to defend global free trade at an annual economic regional forum snubbed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the importance of 'high-level exchanges' with Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, suggesting a possible meeting between China's President Xi Jinping and Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the upcoming APEC summit.

President Xi Jinping on Friday urged world leaders to ensure the stability of supply chains, saying countries needed to "join hands" instead of "breaking chains" while pointing to growing uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping gifted South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung a pair of Xiaomi smartphones and jokingly urged him to “check if there’s

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet next Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the White House announced, as the leaders of the world’s two largest economies look to deescalate a simmering trade war.

Meeting between Xi Jinping and Lee Jae-myung on Apec sidelines is the first between the two leaders since the latter assumed office in June.

The face-to-face talks, their first since Trump’s return to office, come on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in South Korea on Thursday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and hold talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump on high-profile issues ranging from tariffs to security.