A worker assembles an SUV at a car plant of Li Auto, a major Chinese EV maker, in Changzhou in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. (Chinatopix Via AP, File)
President Donald Trump said U.S. and Chinese negotiators will resume trade talks on June 9 in London, as the world’s two largest economies look to resolve a simmering dispute over tariffs and technology that has unnerved markets.
“I am pleased to announce that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social network on June 6. “The meeting should go very well.”
The new round of talks follow a 90-minute call between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on June 5 that saw the two agree to defuse growing tensions spurred by concerns over the flow of critical minerals needed by American firms.
Earlier talks between the two countries in Switzerland in May resulted in a tariff truce between Beijing and Washington that set the stage for further talks on trade. But negotiations between the rivals stalled after the Geneva meeting, with both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement that brought down duties from massive highs.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 6, 2025
The U.S. expressed concerns over the lack of rare-earth magnets essential for American electric vehicles and defense systems, while China bristled at fresh U.S. restrictions on artificial intelligence chips from Huawei Technologies Co., as well as other advanced technologies and crackdowns on foreign students in the U.S.
After their call, Trump said he had obtained a commitment to restore the flow of rare-earth magnets. China approved temporary export licenses to critical mineral suppliers to major U.S. automakers, Reuters reported.
But questions remain about what Trump conceded to Xi in their call, which the U.S. president had eagerly sought. The Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement said that Trump told Xi Chinese students are welcome to study in the U.S., and Trump later said it would be his “honor” to welcome them.
The call between Trump and Xi generated some hope on Wall Street for lower duties between the U.S. and China, although investor optimism was limited, citing the lack of details on key matters and the thorny issues that await negotiators.
The inclusion of Lutnick in the new round of talks may signal that Trump is willing to reconsider some of the technology curbs that threaten to hobble China’s long-term growth ambitions.
