The U.S. government has requested that China fully and immediately comply with the agreements established in 2025 as part of discussions aimed at reducing trade friction between the two countries.
Scott Bessent, the U.S. Secretary of Finance, emphasized during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng, the importance for China to fully implement the commitments made in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025. Bessent's Department released a statement detailing this position.
Bessent also expressed concerns regarding certain recent actions taken by China, although the statement did not specify what these measures were.
Jamieson Greer, White House representative for Trade, was present at the discussion. This meeting took place shortly before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which Donald Trump is scheduled to attend.
This will be the first time Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Trump since his visit to Washington at the end of September 2025. On that occasion, both agreed to a trade truce valid until January 10, a pact that was reaffirmed in October in South Korea, resulting in the cessation of customs tariff increases and other trade restrictions.
The root of the controversy lies in access to so-called Chinese rare earth minerals, substances essential for the automotive, defense, and smartphone manufacturing sectors.
