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The US and China are once again at the epicentre of trade tensions. US President Donald Trump will soon have a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the escalating issues in bilateral trade, in particular, the supply of critical minerals that play a strategic role in global production chains. This was announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a commentary for CBS, referring to the expected “constructive conversation” between the leaders of the two superpowers.
The White House accuses Beijing of violating the terms of the latest agreement on mutual reduction of duties and trade barriers, signed last month in Geneva. According to Bessent, China is deliberately blocking the export of important minerals, which threatens supplies to Europe, India and other partners. “This is not the behaviour of a reliable trading partner,” the US official stressed.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, President Trump harshly criticised China’s actions, accusing it of “completely breaking the agreement” and stressing that the Chinese economy is experiencing “serious difficulties” due to US tariffs. “I made concessions to prevent their situation from becoming a disaster. But they chose a different path,” Trump said.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett assured that although the exact date of the talks has not yet been determined, a dialogue between Trump and Xi Jinping is expected in the near future. “The president will have a great conversation this week. We expect a result,” he added.
The focus is not only on the economy, but also on strategic trust between the two countries. Beijing’s delays in supplying critical resources, according to Washington, may indicate deeper structural or political problems within China or a deliberate attempt to put pressure on the West.
The conversation between Trump and Xi is expected to be not just another round of negotiations, but a potential turning point in global trade policy, which will affect the stability of global markets.
