On October 31, analyst Illia Neskhodovsky at the Veza Public Opinion Center commented on the outcomes of recent talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, focusing on the pause in the trade war between the United States and China.
According to the expert, no significant fundamental agreements were reached. The main focus was on mutual concessions: the US announced a 10% tariff reduction for certain goods, while China partially eased export controls on rare earth metals but still maintained its market dominance.
The talks also covered China's purchase of American agricultural goods and strengthening of intellectual property rights enforcement. The analyst stressed that these deals have a political rather than economic effect, with further escalation not serving either side's interests.
Ukraine remains a secondary factor in the negotiations, and any impact on the Russia-Ukraine war is minimal. Much of the discussion revolved around Europe's position: the EU is trying to restrict imports of Chinese electric vehicles to protect its auto industry, though no major changes in China-EU economic relations have occurred.
The main risk for Ukraine, as highlighted by the expert, is the potential closure of European markets, which would negatively affect exports and investments, as the EU remains Ukraine's main partner. The US aims to reduce dependence on China through increased exports and domestic production, while Europe prioritizes consumer interests, sometimes at the expense of its own industry.
In summary, the US-China trade war is on hold, but fundamental differences in economic models will continue to affect global markets and Ukraine in the long term.
