Trump to Meet Xi in May as Trade War Escalates
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- Trump will meet Xi Jinping in May, his first China visit in eight years, amid ongoing trade war tensions.
- US launched new Section 301 unfair‑trade probes into Chinese industries in March, prompting reciprocal investigations from China.
- Scott Bessent and Jamieson Greer met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and top trade negotiator Li Chenggang in Paris for a sixth round of talks described as "constructive".
- US Supreme Court rejected Trump’s global tariff regime in February, yet Trump indicated he will continue using tariffs.
- China ended 2025 with a record trade surplus, redirecting exports to Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America as US exports to China declined.
- Trump and Xi previously met in Busan, South Korea, agreeing to a new trade truce that involved U.S. tariff trims and Chinese actions on fentanyl, soybean purchases, and rare‑earth export curbs.
Why it matters: The summit offers the United States a chance to revive soybean sales and curb Chinese rare‑earth export controls, while China seeks to protect its record trade surplus and push back against U.S. tariff hikes, making the outcome pivotal for both economies' export sectors.
