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The ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China have once again come to the forefront as President Donald Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “extremely hard to make a deal with.” The two countries are at odds over allegations that China is not upholding a trade truce signed in Geneva last month.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed his frustration with President Xi, stating, “I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!” It remains unclear whether Trump’s comments were prompted by recent direct communication with Xi.
Washington recently accused China of failing to fulfill a promise to approve licenses for exports of rare earths, leading to shortages that are impacting US industries. In response, China accused the US of “seriously violating” the trade truce agreed upon in Switzerland.
Trump and his administration have emphasized the need for a conversation between the two leaders to resolve the trade dispute. However, Beijing has not indicated whether they are willing to engage in such talks. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated to US Ambassador to China David Perdue that Beijing has been diligently implementing the agreements made in Geneva.
Despite the tariff reductions agreed upon in Geneva, tensions persist as both countries have accused each other of violating the terms of the truce. The US imposed additional tariffs on Chinese goods, while China allegedly failed to unwind export restrictions on rare earths as promised.
The dispute escalated further as the US tightened controls on Huawei chips globally, halted sales of chip design software to Chinese companies, and cancelled visas for Chinese students. These actions were seen as a violation of the Geneva agreement by Chinese officials.
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