Frank Lavin, former U.S. undersecretary of commerce for international trade, said the October 30 meeting between the Chinese and U.S. presidents in the ROK had a positive and pragmatic tone. Lavin argued that President Donald Trump has come to understand that tariffs alone are unlikely to achieve his desired results and are not an effective way to resolve complex bilateral issues. He also pointed to recent progress on the TikTok matter as a constructive step, which indicates further potential for forward-looking cooperation between the two countries.