US President Donald Trump has hailed a historic trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as "amazing", saying they have resolved their long-standing dispute over the supply of rare earths, crucial components used in advanced technologies. The agreement, reached after tense negotiations, marks a significant breakthrough in the US-China relationship, which has been strained by trade tensions.
According to Trump, China will end its restrictions on rare earth exports and purchase large quantities of US soybeans, while the US will lower its tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%. The deal includes a 10% reduction in the "fentanyl tariff" imposed on Chinese exports, which has been a major point of contention between the two countries.
The agreement was seen as a major departure from the aggressive rhetoric exchanged between Trump and Xi in recent weeks. However, sources close to the talks said that the US had prepared for the possibility of no deal, with some officials warning of a potential collapse of negotiations over China's refusal to meet Washington's demands on trade issues.
In a statement released after their meeting, Xi expressed optimism about the prospects for improved ties between the two nations. He emphasized the need for both countries to work together to address global challenges, such as climate change and pandemics.
The agreement came just days after China proposed measures aimed at curbing exports of rare earths, which have been seen as a key component in high-tech manufacturing, including those used in the production of smartphones, fighter jets and other advanced technologies. The move was part of Beijing's efforts to push back against US pressure over trade issues.
The talks between Trump and Xi marked the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since 2019, with both sides expressing a willingness to work towards improved relations. Despite the optimism, tensions remain high over issues such as Taiwan, which China views as part of its territory, and Hong Kong's growing protests.
A US State Department spokesperson later said that while progress had been made, many issues remained unresolved.
According to Trump, China will end its restrictions on rare earth exports and purchase large quantities of US soybeans, while the US will lower its tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%. The deal includes a 10% reduction in the "fentanyl tariff" imposed on Chinese exports, which has been a major point of contention between the two countries.
The agreement was seen as a major departure from the aggressive rhetoric exchanged between Trump and Xi in recent weeks. However, sources close to the talks said that the US had prepared for the possibility of no deal, with some officials warning of a potential collapse of negotiations over China's refusal to meet Washington's demands on trade issues.
In a statement released after their meeting, Xi expressed optimism about the prospects for improved ties between the two nations. He emphasized the need for both countries to work together to address global challenges, such as climate change and pandemics.
The agreement came just days after China proposed measures aimed at curbing exports of rare earths, which have been seen as a key component in high-tech manufacturing, including those used in the production of smartphones, fighter jets and other advanced technologies. The move was part of Beijing's efforts to push back against US pressure over trade issues.
The talks between Trump and Xi marked the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders since 2019, with both sides expressing a willingness to work towards improved relations. Despite the optimism, tensions remain high over issues such as Taiwan, which China views as part of its territory, and Hong Kong's growing protests.
A US State Department spokesperson later said that while progress had been made, many issues remained unresolved.
, but at the same time, I'm not so sure... 
I mean, Trump says China's gonna start exporting rare earths and buying more soybeans from us, which sounds like a win for the US, right? 
But then again, some people say that's just China trying to get back at us for all the tariffs we imposed on their stuff 
. And what about those 'fentanyl tariff' reductions? Are those really gonna make a difference or is it just a PR move? 
I'm also kinda skeptical of Xi's optimism - has he ever been wrong before? 
And what about Taiwan and Hong Kong, those issues are never going away. This deal just seems like a temporary Band-Aid on some much deeper wounds... 
. It shows that even when things seem super tense, countries can still come together and find common ground. Rare earths are such a big deal for tech companies, so it's awesome that they've agreed to end those restrictions. And yeah, lowering tariffs on Chinese goods is a win-win – US farmers will be happy about the soybean deals 
. But at the same time, I'm kinda curious to see how this affects other issues like Taiwan and Hong Kong protests 
. i mean, china's not going to give up their rare earths without a fight, and trump's all like "oh, we got a great deal" without even mentioning what concessions he had to make 
. and still no word on taiwan or hong kong... guess they just glossed over those things in the excitement of getting a trade deal done 
. btw, 10% reduction in fentanyl tariff? that's like a drop in the bucket for china 
.
people are hyped about it but some ppl dont see it that way theyre worried about china getting an easy pass on trade issues and what will be next i mean its a good start but lets not get ahead of ourselves 