Asian markets surged Friday, led by Japan on news of a new U.S. trade deal and Hong Kong after President Trump signaled a possible meeting with China’s Xi Jinping. Investor sentiment improved with confirmation that China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Stockholm from July 27 to 30, boosting hopes for trade progress ahead of the August 12 tariff deadline. Hong Kong tech stocks outperformed, with Kuaishou (+7.08%), Tencent (+4.94%), and Meituan (+3.26%) leading gains. Regulatory efforts in China to curb price wars in food delivery added further support. Baidu rose 6.08% after announcing a new AI center in Nanjing.