Trump Announces High-Stakes US-China Trade Talks In London After 'Positive' Call With Xi Jinping

Trump announces June 9 US-China trade talks in London after a positive call with Xi Jinping, aiming to resolve ongoing disputes over tariffs and rare earth materials.

Trump Announces High-Stakes US-China Trade Talks In London After 'Positive' Call With Xi Jinping

Source : PTI

In a move that could signal a turning point in ongoing economic tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that top American and Chinese officials will meet in London on June 9 to continue negotiations over a long-standing trade agreement.

The announcement came just one day after Trump held what he described as a “very good conversation” with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders reportedly worked through several sticking points in the trade deal that has seen months of turbulence.

Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump confirmed that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer will lead the American delegation. “I am pleased to announce that [they] will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal,” Trump wrote. He added confidently, “The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

A Diplomatic Call with Big Stakes

On Thursday, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump recounted his call with Xi, calling it productive and optimistic. “We had a very good talk and we've straightened out any complexity,” he said. “It’s very complex stuff, and we straightened it out.” According to Trump, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to a deal that has already been negotiated, but are working out final issues—particularly concerning rare earth materials and magnetic components.

Notably, Trump also mentioned a mutual exchange of invitations: Xi invited him to visit China, and Trump extended a similar gesture for Xi to visit the United States. “We both accepted,” he said, adding that he plans to travel to China with the First Lady, while hoping Xi will make a reciprocal visit accompanied by the First Lady of China.

A Delicate Dance Around a Fractured Deal

The planned London meeting follows a recent flare-up in tensions. On May 30, Trump accused Beijing of violating a trade agreement negotiated just weeks earlier in Geneva—an accusation China quickly rebuffed, claiming the U.S. was the one reigniting trade friction. During the hour-and-a-half-long phone call with Xi, Trump reiterated that despite earlier setbacks, the tone had shifted toward collaboration. “It resulted in a very positive conclusion for both countries,” he noted in a Truth Social update.

The Chinese government, in its official readout of the call, confirmed the exchange of invitations but did not mention the White House portion. Still, Xi reportedly assured Trump that China “always kept its promise,” emphasizing that both sides should uphold the consensus reached in Geneva.

A Reset on Tariff Tensions?

The Geneva deal, once hailed by Trump as a “total reset,” aimed to ease the burden of rising tariffs that had strained U.S.-China economic ties. Under Trump’s earlier trade policies, the U.S. had imposed sweeping tariffs on multiple countries, reserving the steepest rates for Chinese imports. China retaliated with its own set of elevated tariffs, in some cases exceeding 145%, intensifying the trade war.