Washington, October 10, 2025: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that there was “no reason” to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month in South Korea, as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to escalate over trade and technology.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that the United States is preparing a “massive increase in tariffs” on Chinese imports, accusing Beijing of economic manipulation and aggressive trade practices.
The planned meeting between the two leaders had been expected to take place in Seoul in two weeks, but Trump suggested the encounter was now off the table.
“China has been sending letters to countries around the world saying it plans to impose export controls on every element of production related to rare earths,” Trump wrote. “Nobody has ever seen anything like this — it would essentially clog markets and make life difficult for virtually every country in the world, especially for China.”
The U.S. president said he had not spoken directly with Xi, emphasizing there was “no reason to do so” at this stage.
Trump’s remarks come amid rising global concern over China’s potential restrictions on rare earth exports, which are vital components in electronics, renewable energy technologies, and defense systems. A full-scale tariff escalation could further strain global supply chains already reeling from geopolitical tensions.
