Donald Trump admitted that the meeting was “incredible” and stressed that Washington and Beijing “will work together” to end the war in Ukraine.
North American President Donald Trump announced this Thursday, after meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that he will reduce tariffs on China imposed due to fentanyl from 20% to 10%, promising bilateral cooperation in several areas.
The presidents of the United States and China, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, concluded a bilateral meeting lasting around two hours at an air base in Busan, in the south of South Korea, marked by promises of cooperation, gestures of detente in the trade war and an agreement for a new meeting in 2026.
Upon leaving the meeting, Trump stated that Washington and Beijing “will work together” to end the The American leader also revealed that he did not address the issue of Taiwan during the conversation with Xi. “It was not discussed”, he said, fulfilling what he had already anticipated the day before, when he indicated that he would only address the topic if Xi did so.
“We had an incredible meeting”
Trump announced that, following the meeting, will reduce the tariffs it imposed on China this year from 20% to 10% in response to its role in fentanyl trafficking.
“We had an incredible meeting,” declared the Republican, aboard Air Force One, on his way back to Washington.
“I believe they will help us with the “, he said, referring to commitments made by Beijing.
According to Trump, an agreement was reached for China to resume purchase of North American soybeans, suspended since May in the context of the trade war between the two countries. The issue has particular political weight for Trump, who has strong support among rural US voters.
Next meeting will be in 2026
The North American leader said he will meet with Xi Jinping again in April 2026, this time on Chinese territory.
The meeting took place at a military base adjacent to Busan international airport and was attended by several senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, trade representative Jamieson Greer and US ambassador to Beijing, David Perdue.
Trump and Xi left the building where the talks took place together, exchanged words at the door and said goodbye with a handshake. Xi was the first to leave the site.
Reunion with “a friend”
In his opening statement, Trump hailed what he called a reunion with “a friend” and emphasized that both had already agreed “on many things.”
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Xi Jinping disse que “it is normal for the world’s two main economies to have friction from time to time”but that China and the United States “are fully capable of prospering together.”
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The US President also declared that “there are no longer any restrictions on rare earths”, referring to the measures imposed by Beijing in retaliation for US tariffs. China is the world’s main supplier of these essential metals for the technology, military and energy industries.
The meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which officially begins this Friday in Gyeongju, about 76 kilometers from Busan.
Xi will remain in South Korea to participate in the event, while Trump returns to Washington this Thursday.
Despite the cordial tone of the summit and signs of rapprochement in specific areas, analysts warn that structural differences between Washington and Beijing remain, especially regarding the control of sensitive technologies, the geopolitics of Asia-Pacific and the rivalry for global economic dominance.
