US President Donald Trump has revealed he personally urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to significantly increase both the speed and volume of American agricultural purchases, with Beijing indicating its agreement to these demands. The development comes amid escalating regional tensions between China and Japan concerning Taiwan.
Trump's Direct Appeal to Xi Jinping
Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, President Trump shared details of his hour-long telephone discussion with the Chinese leader that occurred on Monday. Trump confirmed he explicitly asked President Xi to accelerate the pace of agricultural acquisitions and expand the quantity of purchases from American farmers.
"I think he's going to very much surprise you on the upside," Trump told reporters, expressing optimism about China's response. "I asked him, 'I'd like you to buy a little faster, I'd like you to buy a little more.' And he's more or less agreed to do that."
Regional Tensions Over Taiwan
The trade discussions unfolded against the backdrop of increasing friction between China and Japan regarding Taiwan's status. The diplomatic strain began earlier this month when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a potential Chinese military action against Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
Beijing, which considers Taiwan part of its sovereign territory, strongly condemned Prime Minister Takaichi's statements and demanded their retraction. The situation has rapidly deteriorated since then, with China implementing several countermeasures against Japan.
China has issued a travel advisory warning its citizens against visiting Japan, halted the screening of selected Japanese films, and imposed a complete ban on Japanese seafood imports. Both nations have simultaneously intensified their military preparedness, with China conducting patrols in the East China Sea while Japan announced plans to deploy missiles near Taiwan.
Broader Trade Negotiations Continue
President Trump's mediation efforts in the China-Japan dispute coincide with ongoing US pressure on China to finalize crucial aspects of the truce established during the leaders' meeting last month in South Korea. Both countries are working toward a month-end deadline to agree on terms for "general licenses" that China committed to provide for US-bound exports of rare earths and critical minerals.
Additionally, the Trump administration is pushing to accelerate Chinese purchases of US soybeans following what effectively became a boycott for most of this year in response to expanded American tariffs. President Trump also informed reporters that he briefed Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi about his conversation with President Xi, describing their discussion as "great" and expressing confidence that "that part of the world is doing fine."
