Trade Talks Heat Up Between China and the U. S.

Trade talks between China and the U. S. have taken a step forward. Both sides have agreed on a basic plan for a deal. This includes talks about tariffs and other trade issues. The talks happened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This was during a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. U. S. President Trump was also in Asia for a nearly weeklong trip. He is expected to meet with China's top leader, Xi Jinping, soon. The negotiations covered a lot of ground. This included bilateral trade, export controls, and cooperation on combating fentanyl trafficking. Rare earth metals were also a big topic. These metals are mostly produced in China and are crucial for many industries. Both sides were careful to say they don't have a final deal yet. They mentioned that more steps need to be taken. China's Ministry of Commerce has put strict rules on exporting rare earth metals. This has caused tension between the two countries. The U. S. has threatened to impose higher tariffs if China goes ahead with these export controls. The talks in Kuala Lumpur were seen as a positive step. But there's still a lot of work to be done before a final deal is reached.