Summary
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Donald Trump says the US can sign a trade deal with China “pretty soon” following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea
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The talks will be seen as a breakthrough after trade tensions had ramped up again between the world’s two biggest economies
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Trump also announces lower tariffs “effective immediately” on Chinese imports and says Beijing will give the US better access to rare earths – what are rare earths, and why does the US need them?
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We are still awaiting details though – the two sides have been negotiating a deal for months that would decide how all of this would work
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China releases a more subdued account of the meeting, which says both sides have reached a consensus to resolve “major trade issues”
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Here’s why the meeting matters – even if you’re not in the US or China
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Meanwhile, there’s been no word on a final deal on the sale of Chinese-owned TikTok’s US operations
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Our correspondents unpack the moment when Trump and Xi met, explain what was on the table for the talks, and why Xi would have felt like he was walking in with a strong hand
