Trump and Xi Jinping met at the 2019 G20 Summit. Yonhap News

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 20th that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are highly likely to meet on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Gyeongju in late October this year.

The newspaper quoted multiple sources as saying that the APEC summit would be an optimal opportunity for the two leaders to meet in person.

It also stated that President Trump could visit China before attending the APEC summit, or hold a separate summit with President Xi during the APEC event.

President Xi is reportedly planning to attend the APEC summit, but President Trump's attendance remains undecided.

However, SCMP reported that senior U.S. officials view President Trump's attendance as highly probable.

If President Trump visits China before the APEC summit, the newspaper speculated that he might visit Shanghai or another location to differentiate from his visit to the capital city of Beijing in 2017.

Previously, the two leaders spoke by phone on the 5th of last month. During the call, President Xi invited President Trump and his wife to visit China, and President Trump reciprocated by inviting President Xi to visit the United States.

Furthermore, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters on the 11th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting were held, that after his first in-person meeting with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, "Both sides have a strong desire for a summit," indicating a high possibility of a U.S.-China summit.

However, Secretary Pompeo clarified that he and Director Wang did not discuss the schedule for a U.S.-China summit, stating, "We will look for a mutually agreeable date."

SCMP described the meeting between Secretary Pompeo and Director Wang as "a significant step that could lead to a U.S.-China summit."

If President Trump and President Xi meet on the occasion of this year's APEC summit, it is anticipated that they will discuss various issues that have been points of contention between the U.S. and China, including tariffs, as well as fentanyl, rare earths, and semiconductors. Attention is focused on whether any agreements will be reached between the leaders.

However, SCMP quoted analysts who predicted that several factors could hinder the summit's convening, such as the Taiwan issue or the actions of hardliners against China within the United States.

The APEC summit will be held in Gyeongju from October 31 to November 1.

Yonhap News