Melania Trump Skips APEC Summit

US First Lady Melania Trump is unlikely to travel to the APEC summit in China with President Donald Trump, despite an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The APEC summit is scheduled to take place on November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China. Xi Jinping had invited the US first couple to visit Shenzhen, but Melania Trump's office stated she is not scheduled to attend the events in person.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Philippines for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit before travelling to the APEC event. At the APEC summit, he will meet Xi Jinping for the third time this year.

## Why it matters The APEC summit is a significant event that brings together leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss economic cooperation and trade. The meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping will be closely watched, given the current state of US-China relations. Although Melania Trump's absence may not directly impact the diplomatic meetings, it may be seen as a notable absence given the invitation extended by Xi Jinping.

The decision by Melania Trump not to attend the APEC summit may also spark speculation about her role in international diplomacy and her relationship with the Chinese leadership. However, her office has simply stated that she is not scheduled to attend the events in person, without providing further explanation.

As the APEC summit approaches, all eyes will be on the meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping, and the discussions that take place on trade and economic cooperation. The absence of Melania Trump will likely be a footnote in the larger narrative of the summit, but it may still be seen as a significant absence given the diplomatic protocol and etiquette involved in such high-level meetings.