Rare Earths, Tariffs on Agenda for “Fantastic” Trump-Xi Talks

The contentious issues of rare earth minerals and new tariffs will be on the agenda for what President Donald Trump is calling a “fantastic meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The “big meeting” is set for Thursday in South Korea, during the APEC summit. Speaking from Tokyo, Trump said he was confident it “is going to work out very well.”
This optimism defies the current state of trade relations. China’s new rare earth export controls prompted a US threat of 100% tariffs, effective November 1.
This tit-for-tat escalation, which also includes new US port fees and Chinese countermeasures, has broken a recent lull in the conflict.
Trump, however, is focused on a positive outcome, stating the meeting will be “great for everybody” and that both leaders have “a lot to talk about.”