President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are about to meet in person for the first time in six years. The meeting in South Korea comes after months of intense back-and-forths between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies. At one point, the spat led to tariffs on Chinese goods surging to a minimum of 145% and at least 130% on American goods.
Even though tariff rates on both countries’ goods have since come down, they’re still higher than where they were before Trump’s second term began. And it’s never been out of the question that tariffs could skyrocket again, with trade agreements brokered by American and Chinese negotiators practically hanging by a thread.
So, how did we get here? Keep scrolling for a recap of the dizzying back-and-forth between the US and China — and where things stand for now.
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