President Donald Trump announced Thursday that China had agreed to delay for one year its planned restrictions on exports of rare earth metals, easing a major supply chain concern for U.S. industries dependent on the critical materials. The agreement came at the conclusion of Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which also produced a partial rollback of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump said the United States would cut in half the 20 percent tariff increase he imposed earlier this year, reducing overall tariffs on Chinese imports from roughly 57 percent to 47 percent. He said the reduction was made in recognition of China’s “steps toward addressing” U.S. concerns about fentanyl trafficking.
The summit, held at a military base in South Korea, was expected to focus on trade but was overshadowed by Trump’s unexpected announcement that the United States would resume nuclear weapons testing after more than 30 years. The statement, which lacked details, sparked unease among allies and prompted questions about whether such a move would violate existing international test bans. Trump later told reporters his nuclear announcement was unrelated to China.
Despite a cordial greeting between Trump and Xi, the meeting was notably tense compared with Trump’s earlier encounters with other Asian leaders during the trip. China’s official summary of the meeting omitted any mention of nuclear issues or new trade deals, though it confirmed that both leaders had agreed to avoid a “vicious cycle of mutual retaliation” and to extend their trade truce for another year.
Xi also invited Trump to visit China in 2026, while Trump extended a reciprocal invitation for Xi to come to the United States.
China’s Commerce Ministry said the rare earth postponement and tariff adjustments would provide both nations “space for constructive dialogue.” The move follows months of escalating tensions over tariffs exceeding 100 percent on key exports.
Trump’s latest actions leave open questions about the future of U.S.–China relations — balancing modest trade progress with renewed global anxiety over his nuclear testing plans.
Source: NYT