President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were able to discuss “bigger picture ideas” during the world leaders’ historic South Korea meeting, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday on “Mornings with Maria.”
“President Trump is commanding respect around the world like no other leader,” Bessent said, touting the success of the meeting.
Bessent said he had previously spent two days of “very tough” negotiations with China’s vice premier in Malaysia earlier in the week, which likely helped the situation. 
“President Xi walked into the room and said, ‘I think we can agree on the consensus reached in Malaysia, so the two leaders were able to discuss more bigger picture idea during the conversation, including what the remainder of President Trump’s term will look like.”
Trump said Thursday that he will cut tariffs on Chinese imports after the highly-anticipated meeting with Jinping, citing new understandings on fentanyl enforcement, farm trade, and a pause on rare-earth export limits.
TRUMP CUTS CHINA TARIFF AFTER XI SIGNALS TOUGHER FENTANYL ENFORCEMENT, RARE-EARTH PAUSE
“I believe he’s going to work very hard to stop the death that’s coming in,” Trump said of Jinping.
Trump also said China agreed to pause planned export controls for a year. A senior administration official later clarified that both leaders agreed to revisit the agreement next year and that the arrangement could be extended at that time.
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Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
