President Donald Trump will visit China in April, a move that signals a major thaw in US-China relations following a new one-year trade deal. The agreement, sealed with President Xi Jinping, involves the US slashing tariffs and China pausing rare earth restrictions.
The deal, which Trump called “amazing,” sees the US cutting some tariffs and export controls. In a key concession, China agreed to buy US soybeans and not to tighten curbs on rare earth minerals, which Trump had threatened with 100% tariffs.
China also secured a major win with a one-year postponement of a new US tech rule. This measure would have blocked thousands of Chinese firms from accessing US technology if they were partly owned by a sanctioned company.
Following the meeting, President Xi spoke at the APEC forum in South Korea. He championed open trade, warning against “breaking supply chains” and urging nations to “join hands rather than letting go.”
President Xi, who said “dialogue is always better than confrontation,” is also expected to visit the US after Trump’s trip. He called for a swift finalization of the deal to provide global “peace of mind.”