On 11 June 2025, former US President Donald Trump announced the conclusion of negotiations between the United States and China on a new trade agreement. According to Trump, the deal only awaits final approval from Chinese President Xi Jinping and himself. The statement was published on Truth Social.
The essence of the agreement is to strike a balance between the key economic interests of the two countries. China has agreed to supply the US with magnets and rare earth minerals. In return, the US will open its colleges and universities to Chinese students, symbolising a partial normalisation of humanitarian and educational exchanges between the countries. However, the agreement also includes tough tariff measures. Washington will set duties on Chinese imports at 55%. As the White House spokesman explained, the new rate combines several components: the basic ‘reciprocal’ duty of 10%, an additional 20% for China’s alleged involvement in the fentanyl trade, as well as 25% – as an integration of earlier tariffs. Beijing, in turn, will maintain duties on U.S. goods at 10%.
While the duties remain high, they are well below the peak levels of the trade war, 145% on the U.S. side and 125% on China’s side, as The Bell previously reported.
