Check the US-China Trade Truce Extension and the Issues Still Open
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Key Takeaway
The US and China agreed to extend the trade truce, due to end on November 10, by two months to January 10 next year, and they are continuing to negotiate over whether a bigger deal is possible in the meantime.
In what order did this agreement come together?
This timeline gathers the Korea Times (Reuters) and MTN reports by date. The date checked is 2026-10-13.
| Date (local) | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, September 20 | In New York, Treasury Secretary Bessent, Trade Representative Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng negotiated for about 12 hours | Korea Times |
| Wednesday, September 23 | Bessent and He Lifeng met for about 90 minutes at the World Bank headquarters in Washington | Korea Times |
| Wednesday, September 23 | Bessent announced the two-month truce extension on Fox News | Korea Times, MTN |
| September 25 | In a CNBC interview, Greer said the talks had made progress and previewed an announcement of details on the 28th | MTN |
The Korea Times reported that Bessent described this meeting as the second of as many as four Trump-Xi summit-related meetings that could take place this year.
What changes with the extension?
The truce deadline moves from November 10 to around January 10. The truce agreed in Busan was a measure that lowered each side's tariffs, which had risen into triple digits.
Bessent said the focus of these talks is to see whether a bigger deal is possible rather than making several small deals. He said China was the first to propose a broader agreement, and that either continuing the Busan deal or striking a big deal would be fine. He added that it is still unclear whether a deal can be reached by January 10.
Which items are being kept out of the tariff dispute?
According to MTN, Greer said the two countries agreed to exclude some items from future trade disputes and additional tariffs. The examples he gave were US farm products, medical devices, and non-sensitive Chinese consumer goods.
The Korea Times reported that Bessent said the summit could bring tariff removal on $30 billion worth of non-core items and announcements on financial services and farm-goods purchases. The articles I checked do not include a detailed list of what was actually announced.
What issues are still open?
Implementation varies by item. The table below reflects statements from the US side.
| Item | US assessment | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase of 25 million tons of soybeans | Being fulfilled | Korea Times |
| Purchase of $17 billion in other farm goods | Behind | Korea Times |
| Rare earth and critical mineral supplies | Deliveries are late | Korea Times |
| Artificial intelligence (AI) safety incident hotline | The US said it was agreed to set one up; China's Xinhua mentioned only AI discussions | Korea Times |
The article also carried an expert outlook that AI cooperation will make little progress because of a lack of trust between the two sides. Greer said advanced semiconductor export controls were handled separately from these talks.
What should you check next?
The key is whether a bigger deal emerges before the new January 10 deadline. Before then, the list of tariff-exempt items from the US Trade Representative (USTR) and Treasury, along with announcements from China's Ministry of Commerce on rare earth exports, will help you gauge the direction. This article is based on reports checked on 2026-10-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the trade truce last?
Both articles reported that the truce, due to end on November 10, is extended by two months to around January 10 next year.
Is China keeping its promised purchases?
It varies by item. Secretary Bessent said China is meeting its obligation to buy 25 million tons of soybeans, while the US side said purchases of $17 billion in other farm goods and rare earth supplies are behind.
Did these talks also cover semiconductor export controls?
Greer said security-related export controls, such as those on advanced semiconductors, were not a main agenda item in these trade talks and were handled separately.
Sources & Verification Date
- US, China agree to extend trade truce by two months, work on bigger deal, Bessent says (The Korea Times and Reuters, 2026-09-24) · Verified
- US Trade Representative Greer: "Progress in trade talks with China, announcement on the 28th" (MTN Money Today Broadcasting, 2026-09-26) · Verified
All materials have been verified from official announcements and may have changed since verification.