US urges China to honour rare earths and agriculture commitments ahead of Trump-Xi summits
The US has pressed China to fully implement its trade pact commitments, especially on rare earths and agricultural purchases, ahead of upcoming summits between Presidents Trump and Xi. The call between US officials and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng highlighted ongoing tensions over trade compliance
The Trump administration warned a top Chinese official on Friday that Beijing must immediately implement its commitments under a nearly year-old trade agreement, particularly on delivery of rare earths and other critical minerals and agricultural purchases, the US Trade Representative's Office said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in a call to implement terms of the pact agreed in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025, the US agencies said. 'During the call, Ambassador Greer emphasized the critical importance of China taking concrete actions to fully implement its past commitments, particularly as they relate to agricultural purchases, rare earths, and other critical minerals,' USTR said in a statement.
During the call, China expressed 'serious concern' over recent US trade restrictions targeting Beijing, China's official Xinhua news agency said. But He, China's lead negotiator on trade relations with the US, agreed with his US counterparts to continue using consultation for 'stable and positive' development of trade ties, Xinhua reported.
Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to meet at the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Shenzhen, China, on 18 and 19 November, and the Group of 20 summit in Miami on 14 and 15 December. Greer said the Trump administration will pursue balanced trade with China by 'monitoring compliance of past commitments while unlocking lasting benefits for American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and workers.'
Greer, Bessent and other US officials have frequently complained about difficulties that US companies say they are experiencing in receiving sufficient quantities of rare earths and other critical minerals from China under the Busan agreement. The US says the deal was designed to lift restrictions put in place in 2025 during a period of tariff escalations between the world's two largest economies.
The Busan trade deal, which expires on 10 January, capped US tariffs on Chinese goods implemented during Trump's second term at about 20 per cent. China has pledged to buy 25 million metric tons of US soybeans for the next three years and boost purchases of other American farm goods by $17 billion. 'I emphasized the importance of China fully and immediately honoring its commitments, raised concerns about recent Chinese actions and underscored that progress depends on concrete results,' Bessent said in a social media post.
The United States will 'closely assess China’s implementation of the arrangement,' the Treasury said in a statement. Beijing has signaled tariff concessions remain central to its aims, with its commerce ministry saying on Thursday that China was open to buying more US farm goods, but only if the two sides implement their reciprocal tariff-cut agreement.