In the first face-to-face meeting since 2019, US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30, 2025 in Busan, South Korea, in a move that Trump considered a "12 out of 10" on the scale of success, amid ongoing economic and trade tensions between the US and China.
The meeting comes after months of escalating US protectionism. Trump imposed steep tariffs on China's exports, peaking at 145%, while Beijing responded by raising its tariffs to 125%, which directly affected the US consumer and farmers whose products the Chinese stopped buying, as well as the tech sector's concern over China's restrictions on rare metals needed to make advanced devices.
12-month truce agreement
The two leaders came up with a 12-month truce, which included China returning to buying soybeans and easing some restrictions on rare metals, in exchange for the US reducing tariffs and easing some investment restrictions. Trump has announced his intention to visit Beijing, while Xi may visit the resort town of Mar-a-Lago.
Contrasting positions
Official statements from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed a more restrained stance, emphasizing China's continuation of its long-term strategic plan, focusing on self-reliance and the resilience of the Chinese economy. For his part, Trump emphasized immediate successes in agriculture and tech industries.
Absence of debate on Taiwan and human rights
The lack of reference to Taiwan or human rights in the talks was a controversial point. This omission marks a clear difference between the Trump administration and its predecessors, who always put human rights on the table.
Future Challenges for China
US restrictions on access to technology remain a challenge for China as it seeks to become a global industrial, technological and artificial intelligence powerhouse in the coming decades. Economic analysis has confirmed that the real estate and infrastructure sectors have come under significant pressure recently, making continued trade tensions with the US an ongoing concern.
Implications for globalization and world order
Observers point out that the Trump-Xi meeting reflects broader contradictions in the global system, between traditional American hegemony and the rise of Asian influence, at a time when Europe is reorganizing its cards to face regional crises, such as in Ukraine, amid possible shifts in global hegemony and the international economic system.
Conclusion
Despite a temporary truce, the future of the US-China relationship remains challenging, especially in the areas of technology, agriculture, and human rights. As both sides seek to avoid an open-ended economic crisis, the question remains as to how this meeting will affect the course of the strategic rivalry between the two superpowers.
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