President Donald Trump said Thursday he had reached several agreements with China after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, marking an attempt to steady relations between the world’s two largest economies following months of trade friction.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on his return to Washington from a five-day, three-nation Asia tour, Trump said the U.S. would cut tariffs imposed earlier this year on Chinese chemicals used to make fentanyl, reducing the rate from 20% to 10%. That move lowers the overall average tariff rate on Chinese imports from 57% to 47%.
“I’d say on a scale of zero to 10, the meeting was a 12,” Trump told reporters, describing his 100-minute discussion with Xi as highly productive.
Trump’s renewed tariffs and China’s retaliatory curbs on rare earth exports had heightened the urgency for talks, as both sides sought to avoid further shocks to the global economy.
China, U.S. to Pause Port Fee Measures for a Year
China’s Commerce Ministry announced Thursday that both countries will suspend for one year the tit-for-tat port fees introduced earlier this month under the U.S. Section 301 investigation into Chinese shipbuilding and maritime practices.
The U.S. had imposed new port fees on Chinese vessels entering American ports on Oct. 14, calling Beijing’s policies “unreasonable” and harmful to U.S. trade. China quickly responded with similar fees on American ships.
The ministry also said it would “properly resolve” disputes over the social media platform TikTok with Washington.
Atomic Bomb Survivors Condemn Trump’s Nuclear Testing Remarks
In Japan, survivors of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki denounced Trump’s comments suggesting the U.S. might resume nuclear weapons testing.
Jiro Hamasumi, secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo — the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization representing survivors — said any return to testing “vehemently opposes all efforts to achieve a nuclear-free and peaceful world.”
The group urged the U.S. to uphold its commitment to nuclear disarmament and to lead international efforts toward peace.
China Urges U.S. to Honor Nuclear Test Ban
China’s Foreign Ministry called on Washington to abide by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty after Trump hinted on social media that the U.S. could resume testing.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing hoped the U.S. would “fulfill its obligations” and continue its moratorium on nuclear tests. Trump’s post came shortly before his meeting with Xi in South Korea.
China to Suspend Rare Earth Export Controls
Beijing said it would suspend for one year its new export restrictions on rare earth minerals and refine the policy after further study. In exchange, Washington will pause for a year its expanded export controls on Chinese-owned subsidiaries listed under U.S. trade rules.
The reciprocal moves, both announced earlier this month, had alarmed industries dependent on rare earth supplies.
China Confirms U.S. Tariff Reduction
China’s Commerce Ministry confirmed Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would reduce fentanyl-related tariffs by 10 percentage points. The ministry said both countries agreed to extend a temporary pause on broader tariffs for another year, a freeze first established in May.
Xi Calls for Cooperation on AI, Immigration
Xi emphasized that “dialogue is better than confrontation” and proposed expanding cooperation with the U.S. in areas such as curbing illegal immigration, tackling telecom fraud, combating money laundering, advancing artificial intelligence, and strengthening infectious disease response.
He said both countries should demonstrate their global responsibilities through “positive interactions” and noted that China will host the APEC summit and the U.S. the G20 summit next year.
Xi Urges Completion of Trade Consensus
In China’s first official statement on the meeting, Xi said both negotiating teams had “reached a consensus,” referring to preparatory talks in Malaysia last weekend. He called for swift follow-up work to produce “tangible results” that would reassure both nations and the world.
“Both sides should look at the long-term perspective,” Xi said, “focusing on the benefits of cooperation rather than falling into a vicious cycle of retaliation.”
China’s Reaction to Tariffs
Beijing did not immediately comment on the results of the meeting. Chinese officials have previously called the fentanyl-related tariffs an act of bad faith, noting their prior cooperation with the Biden administration to curb chemical exports tied to the drug’s production.
