United States President Donald Trump has announced the completion of a new trade agreement between the US and China, pending final approval in a one-on-one agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The announcement was made Wednesday via Trump’s official account on the social media platform X, where he highlighted key aspects of the deal and praised the current state of US-China relations.
According to Trump, the deal includes a commitment from China to supply the US with a full shipment of magnets and other rare earth materials—resources essential to industries such as electronics, defense, and renewable energy. These materials are predominantly produced by China and have long been a point of contention in trade talks.
> “Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,” Trump posted. “Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China.”
In return, the US has agreed to continue allowing Chinese students access to American colleges and universities—a move Trump framed positively.
> “Including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!),” he added.
The former president also outlined new tariff arrangements, stating that the US will impose tariffs totaling 55%, while China will maintain its tariffs at 10%. Trump characterized this as a win for the American economy and manufacturing sector.
> “We are getting a total of 55 percent tariffs, China is getting 10 percent. Relationship is excellent!” he wrote.
This marks a shift from past US policies under the Trump administration, which had previously moved to restrict Chinese student visas, particularly for those applying to elite institutions like Harvard. These measures were part of broader national security concerns.
Despite those restrictions, Chinese students have historically formed one of the largest international student populations in the US. During the 2023–2024 academic year, nearly 280,000 Chinese students were enrolled in American institutions. However, recent data shows India has overtaken China as the top source of international students.
