On June 4, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump described Chinese President Xi Jinping as “extremely hard to make a deal with,” highlighting the complexities in the ongoing trade negotiations between the two nations. Despite expressing personal admiration for Xi, Trump’s remarks underscore the challenges faced in reaching a consensus on trade matters.
The statement comes amid escalating tensions following accusations from Washington that Beijing is violating a recent trade truce by failing to issue licenses for rare earth exports, causing supply chain disruptions for U.S. industries. In response, China has accused the U.S. of breaching the agreement by imposing new sanctions against Huawei and revoking visas for Chinese students.
While the Geneva agreement aimed to reduce tariffs and suspend non-tariff measures, ambiguities remain, particularly concerning global rare earth export controls. Beijing insists it has complied with the agreement, arguing that the export controls were not covered in the deal.
The prospect of resolving the dispute appears uncertain, with both sides entrenched in their positions. No direct conversation between Trump and Xi has been confirmed, though discussions are anticipated to address the critical issues at hand.
