President Donald Trump indicated that his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, may be canceled due to escalating trade tensions. In a detailed post on Truth Social, Trump described recent actions by China as “very hostile,” particularly highlighting the country’s threats regarding export controls on rare-earth minerals.
Trump claimed that China has been sending letters to various nations, signaling its intention to impose restrictions on the export of these critical materials. He noted that leaders from several countries have expressed significant dissatisfaction with these new measures, which were announced on Thursday.
The president remarked that the previously stable relationship between the United States and China has become uncertain, asserting that he had not spoken to Xi recently due to a lack of necessity. He characterized the situation as surprising, given the positive interactions between the two nations over the past six months, including Xi's support for a deal that would transition TikTok to American ownership.
In response to China’s actions, Trump suggested that the U.S. might implement financial countermeasures, including the potential for increased tariffs on Chinese imports. He asserted that for every element China seeks to monopolize, the U.S. would have a corresponding alternative, emphasizing that while these measures could be painful in the short term, they may ultimately benefit the American economy.