Xi Jinping set for North Korea visit next week, first since 2019 amid geopolitical strains
Beijing's latest diplomatic outreach to Pyongyang comes as North Korea balances ties with both China and Russia while expanding its nuclear capabilities.
US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea for what he called “truce talks.” The meeting took place in Busan, on the sidelines of a summit in Gyeongju.
Trump announced that he would cut tariffs on Chinese goods linked to fentanyl from 20% to 10%. He said the dispute between the US and China had been “settled” and described the meeting as “amazing.”
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Earlier, Trump had imposed a 20% tariff to curb the flow of chemical ingredients for fentanyl entering the United States. Speaking from Air Force One, he said, “I believe he’s going to work very hard to stop the deaths that are happening.”
Trump also said the two leaders reached a one-year, extendable deal on the supply of rare earth minerals, adding that it would be reviewed every year. “All the rare earths have been settled, and that’s for the world,” he told reporters.
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The two leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine. Trump said, “Ukraine came up very strongly. We talked about it for a long time, and we are both going to work together to see if we can get something.”
Calling the meeting a “great success,” Trump said he plans to visit China in April 2026. He clarified that Taiwan was not discussed during the meeting, saying, “It never came up. That was not discussed, actually.”
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