Busan/Seoul/Washington:U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a 10% reduction in tariffs on Chinese goods following a rare face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday. In exchange, Xi reportedly agreed that China would make substantial new purchases of American soybeans, signaling a potential thaw in bilateral trade relations.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after departing South Korea, Trump said the tariff cut would take effect “immediately” and expressed optimism that the move would also help address the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
“I imposed a 20% tariff on China because of fentanyl — it was very high,” Trump said. “But I’ve now reduced it by 10%. I am confident that President Xi will work hard to stop the fentanyl-related deaths affecting our country.”
A Meeting Six Years in the Making
The high-stakes meeting between Trump and Xi took place at Busan Airport, where both leaders met for approximately 100 minutes due to their packed schedules. It was their first encounter in six years — their last in-person meeting was held in 2019, during Trump’s previous term.
The two leaders exchanged a cordial handshake before beginning discussions that reportedly focused on trade, security, and the global fentanyl crisis. Trump later described the talks as “extremely positive,” emphasizing that both nations reached “important agreements.”
“Meeting President Xi was a great success,” Trump told journalists. “If I had to rate it on a scale of zero to ten, I’d give it a twelve. Our relationship with China is very important, and I believe we’ve made real progress.”
Trade, Fentanyl, and Global Diplomacy
The decision to scale back tariffs marks a significant shift in U.S.–China economic relations, which have been strained for years by disputes over trade imbalances, technology, and national security. Analysts say the soybean purchase commitment could offer a much-needed boost to American farmers while symbolizing China’s willingness to cooperate on economic issues.
Observers also noted Trump’s linkage of trade policy with the fight against fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has contributed to rising overdose deaths in the United States. The President framed the tariff reduction as part of a broader effort to encourage Beijing to take stronger action against the illegal flow of the drug and its precursors.
A Tentative Thaw
While neither government has released a formal joint statement, officials from both sides hinted that the dialogue could pave the way for a more comprehensive trade agreement in the coming months.
Diplomatic experts called the meeting a “reset moment” for U.S.–China relations, though they cautioned that many underlying tensions remain unresolved.
For now, the move marks a notable easing of tensions between Washington and Beijing — and a possible first step toward rekindling cooperation between the world’s two largest economies.
