US-China Relations and Trade Negotiations
US President Donald Trump announced that he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in two weeks. Trump stated that many issues would be discussed during the meeting, saying, “China wants to negotiate with us. We will make a great trade deal.”
Trump, in a statement following China's recent expansion of export controls on rare earths, said the US is held in “great respect” by Beijing. Speaking after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House, Trump described the new agreement with Australia as a significant step toward challenging China's dominance of these critical minerals.
In addition, Donald Trump added that there may not be a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The trade deal will be great for both countries, and even for the world,” Trump said, arguing that tariffs are part of national security. “We can start paying off our debt with tariffs,” he said.
Global Conflicts and Diplomatic Engagements
Trump also stated that he has ended eight wars so far, adding, “The ninth is on the way, the Ukraine-Russia war.”
Meanwhile, the White House announced that no meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is planned anytime soon. In a statement to CBS News, it was stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a “productive phone call” but that a face-to-face summit is not currently on the agenda. Lavrov reportedly expressed surprise at the postponement of the summit but reiterated Moscow's commitment to “lasting peace.”