“The president is obsessed with having a call with Xi,” said one person familiar with the trade talks, convinced he can personally hash out deep-seated divisions between the world’s two largest economies mano a mano with Xi. That conviction belies the difficult position the U.S. is in as it tries to pressure China to fundamentally reorder their nearly $600 billion trade relationship, without doing lasting political damage at home. And it renews questions about what Trump’s endgame is in a trade war with China that is increasingly turning into a game of chicken.
The person familiar with the trade talks, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about their private conversations, said the administration is under “a lot of pressure” because of China’s block on critical minerals, crucial components for everything from auto and electronics manufacturing to munitions production.
