China and US confirm Seoul trade talks days before Trump-Xi Beijing summit
The South China Morning Post reports that China and the United States have confirmed trade talks in Seoul just days before the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing. The meeting will cover tariffs, export controls and rare-earth tensions. The outcome will be a key signal for global markets.
China and the United States have officially agreed to hold technical-level trade talks in Seoul just days before the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing, according to the South China Morning Post. The agenda will cover tariffs, advanced technology export controls and unresolved rare-earth supply disputes.
The meeting comes as Beijing seeks to leverage its dominance in rare-earth processing while Washington maintains tight export curbs on semiconductor and advanced AI chip equipment. Investment decisions by industrial giants such as Hyundai, Samsung and TSMC are also on the agenda, given the geographic stakes.
By hosting the discussions, Seoul is positioning itself as an active intermediary in global trade architecture. Wall Street and Asian equity markets will scrutinise the wording of any joint statement closely for hawkish or conciliatory tones. Economists note that prolonged US-China frictions remain a fundamental driver of long-run inflation and growth.
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