Washington D.C., June 11, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed that the United States and China have reached a trade agreement “in principle” following high-level negotiations in London, pending final approval by him and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Announcing the breakthrough via Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me. Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!).” He concluded his message with, “Relationship is excellent!”
The agreement, which Trump described as the result of “intense” discussions, marks a significant turn in U.S.-China relations after months of tariff escalations. According to the president, the U.S. will impose a 55% tariff under the new deal, while China will be subject to 10%.
Al Jazeera reported that the two countries had arrived at a broad “framework” after two days of negotiations aimed at easing ongoing trade tensions. The talks come a month after both sides announced a 90-day pause on most tariffs following discussions in Geneva.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the framework would proceed once approved by both heads of state. He confirmed that the leaders had discussed the matter during a recent 90-minute phone call.
Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang, speaking to reporters, described the London talks as “professional, rational, in-depth and candid,” adding that both delegations would now report the outcomes to their respective leaderships. “We hope that the progress we made in this London meeting is conducive to increasing trust between China and the United States,” Li said.
The agreement also signals a softening of the U.S. stance on Chinese student visas. Trump’s statement allowing Chinese students to study at American universities contrasts with a recent post by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had said that the U.S. would begin revoking visas of students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying sensitive disciplines.
The evolving position on student exchanges appears to be part of broader efforts to stabilize bilateral ties while ensuring strategic safeguards remain intact. As both nations now await formal sign-off from Trump and Xi, the announcement offers a rare moment of optimism in the often fraught U.S.-China relationship.
