Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Friday to cancel a plan to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a multilateral forum in South Korea later this month, criticizing Beijing’s move to impose export controls on rare earths, but he said he will be in Korea “regardless.”
According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump excoriated Beijing for taking an “extraordinarily aggressive position” on trade and announced plans to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods, starting November 1, along with implementing export controls on critical software.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed doubt about his meeting with Xi at the APEC forum in Gyeongju, South Korea, from October 31 to November 1. The planned meeting was expected to address pending trade issues, but its fate now depends on Beijing’s response.
During a press availability later, Trump struck a more cautious tone about the meeting, stating, “I don’t know that we’re going to have it,” while emphasizing his presence at the APEC summit.
Trump criticized China for threatening to impose export controls on rare earth elements, which are crucial in manufacturing electronic devices and weapons systems. He noted that other countries are “extremely angry” about China’s move, highlighting the global implications of such trade restrictions.
“Our relationship with China over the past six months has been a very good one, thereby making this move on Trade an even more surprising one,” Trump said, challenging China’s approach to rare earths and its potential monopoly position.
In his commentary, Trump described China’s trade measure as “absolutely unheard of in International Trade and a moral disgrace in dealing with other Nations.” He announced that the U.S. would impose a 100 percent tariff on China starting November 1, 2025, or sooner if China alters its actions.
Wendy Cutler, senior vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, commented that the situation casts uncertainty over the APEC summit and the fragile detente between the U.S. and China. She noted that Beijing’s assertiveness might stem from a belief that Trump is eager for a meeting with Xi, but Trump’s recent statements suggest otherwise, highlighting the ongoing tensions.