Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that China is withholding critical minerals it agreed to release under a recent trade deal signed in Geneva with U.S. negotiators.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Bessent said, “What China is doing is they are holding back products that are essential for the industrial supply chains of India, of Europe, and that is not what a reliable partner does.”
Bessent’s remarks follow President Donald Trump’s recent claim on Truth Social that “China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”
The trade conflict escalated in April, with tariffs on Chinese goods reaching 145 percent before a temporary rollback agreement. However, talks have since stalled.
Bessent remains optimistic about upcoming discussions between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying, “I think we’re going to let the two principals have a conversation, and then everything will stem from that.”