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US and China Head Into 2026 With a Fragile Trade Truce

Trump and Xi have brokered a ceasefire on tariffs, but tension is flaring up on issues like Taiwan and rare earths
Container ships at the Port of Los Angeles in July 2025.Photographer: Tim Rue/Bloomberg
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China and the US are ending a tension-filled year for trade relations with a truce still intact but plenty of issues making it hard to see how the ceasefire on tariffs holds through 2026.

Consider the following reporting that many readers may have missed over the Christmas holiday week: