Agreements include tariff cuts, end of rare earth restrictions, soybean purchases, and cooperation on fentanyl control.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a series of agreements aimed at easing tensions sparked by Washington’s trade war with Beijing.

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Below are the main outcomes of the meeting, held in the South Korean city of Busan during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Reduction of Fentanyl-Related Tariffs

Upon returning to Washington aboard Air Force One, Trump announced that he would reduce tariffs on China from 20% to 10%, which had been imposed in retaliation for fentanyl trafficking. If the decision stands, U.S. tariffs on Chinese products will drop from 57% to 47%.

China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed that both countries had reached a “consensus” on anti-drug cooperation related to fentanyl.

End of Rare Earth Restrictions

China will suspend for one year the export control measures adopted on Oct. 9 that targeted rare earth elements and other strategic materials—resources essential for technology production. “There are no more restrictions on rare earths,” Trump said after the meeting, which lasted less than two hours.

War in Ukraine

Trump brought up the issue of the war in Ukraine during the talks, seeking to have Xi pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end military actions. “We talked about it for a long time. We’re both going to work together,” the U.S. president said.

Although China did not comment on the matter, Xi noted in his opening remarks to Trump that Beijing has been “helping to promote peace talks to resolve other crises as well.”

Mutual Port Fees

China and the United States will suspend for one year the new port fees they had imposed on each other. The Chinese Commerce Ministry specified that Washington “will suspend the implementation of measures adopted under its Section 301 investigation targeting China’s shipping and logistics industries.”

Chinese Purchases of U.S. Soybeans

The Republican leader also mentioned an agreement for China to resume purchases of U.S. soybeans, which had been suspended in May amid the trade war triggered by Trump’s tariff hikes. China only stated that it would increase purchases of U.S. agricultural products.

Proper Management of the TikTok Issue

Regarding the TikTok app, China pledged to “properly manage” matters related to the platform as part of the understandings reached with the U.S. during negotiations held over the weekend in Kuala Lumpur.

Both sides “confirmed the results of the Madrid economic consultations” held in September, during which Beijing “committed to cooperating with the United States to properly address issues related to TikTok.”

Possible Trump Visit to China in April

Trump said he had agreed with Xi to meet again in China in April 2026. However, the Chinese government avoided confirming the date of the U.S. president’s visit.

At a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said only that “both heads of state agreed to maintain regular exchanges” and that the visit is expected “early next year.”

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: EFE – Xinhua

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