‘Multipolar world is coming’: China’s Wang Yi cautions ahead of Trump-Xi meet; urges end to trade wars

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on Monday said that a “multipolar world is coming,” ahead of a key meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.His remarks appeared to be a veiled jibe at the United States and its approach to global trade and alliances.Speaking at a forum in Beijing, Wang called for an end to the “politicisation of economic and trade issues” and warned against “fragmenting global markets” through protectionist measures, as reported by AFP.He said repeated withdrawals from international agreements and the creation of rival blocs were putting multilateral cooperation under strain.“The tide of history cannot be reversed, and a multipolar world is coming,” Wang said. He further stressed that countries should work together to maintain global stability and openness.His remarks come as global markets closely watch the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea on Thursday, which many hope will ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.The meeting will mark the first face-to-face talks between the leaders since Trump began his second term in January.The trade conflict between Washington and Beijing has intensified since Trump announced sweeping tariffs earlier this year. The two sides have recently been negotiating to avoid another round of 100% tariffs due to take effect on November 1.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng held two days of discussions over the weekend.Both sides reported progress, with China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang saying a “preliminary consensus” had been reached.Bessent told ABC News that the additional tariffs had been “effectively averted.” He added that both sides were close to finalising agreements on rare earth exports and American soybean trade.