The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping in Busan was described as historic prior to its occurrence. This was the first meeting of leaders from the world's two largest economies following Trump's return to the White House. The meeting was crucial for trade, politics, and security, given the intensified rivalry between the US and China.
The main outcome was a temporary trade truce for one year. The US and China agreed to postpone part of their mutual trade restrictions, but no long-term deals have been reached so far due to unresolved economic and political disputes.
Within this agreement, the US canceled a 10% tariff on some Chinese goods in exchange for China resuming purchases of American soybeans and rare earth metals. This shows the continued interdependence between the two countries: American farmers need the Chinese market, while the US high-tech industry relies on Chinese materials. Trump sought these concessions to bolster his electoral base, especially farmers.
Key issues remain unresolved, including Taiwan, energy (such as continued Russian oil exports to China), and China’s potential influence in ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. None of these were practically addressed at the meeting.
The relations between the leaders remained tense: there was no joint press conference and both sides avoided personal statements. Analysis suggests that China now sets the agenda, with the US responding from a position of dependency—particularly during the election cycle and amid concerns over losing support from American farmers.
The meeting provided only a short-term solution to specific disputes, leaving most strategic issues unresolved. Future escalation in the US-China trade war or broader confrontation is likely, with possible effects on international stability and developments in Ukraine.
