After launching a trade war with China, Donald Trump is now declaring a deal is at hand for a one-year truce. With nothing yet signed, we ask about the South Korean sit-down between the US president and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, promises of reduced tariffs and computer chip exports by the US, the easing of restrictions on rare earth minerals and a return to soybean imports by Beijing.

We also ask about the choreography of a shorter-than-expected one hour-and-40-minute meeting in South Korea, followed by Trump's decision to skip the regional APEC summit that followed. The US president will instead return to the White House for a Halloween trick-or-treat ceremony.

More broadly, will the United States remain committed to Asian allies, what with its troops permanently stationed in Japan and South Korea and its historic support for Taiwan and the Philippines? And is that compatible with hard-to-read great power bargaining?

Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Elisa Amiri, Ilayda Habip.