US advances trade talks with Thailand and mediates China-Japan tensions

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that trade negotiations between Thailand and the United States are nearing completion. Following correspondence from U.S. President Donald Trump, officials are working to finalize terms for a potential agreement, which could be signed during Trump’s upcoming visit to Asia for the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, in November 2026.

Earlier discussions between Thai Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer addressed tariff issues related to forced labor investigations. Thailand has reportedly reached a basic agreement on desired tariff levels, pending certain additional conditions from Washington.

In a separate diplomatic development, President Trump has urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to ease export restrictions on Japan and engage in dialogue with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to reduce regional tensions. Trump noted that China’s restrictions, particularly on rare earths, threaten Japanese industries and indirectly impact U.S. sectors dependent on Japanese suppliers.

President Xi has reportedly not responded favorably to these proposals, suggesting that China-Japan tensions should remain separate from U.S.-China relations. While Japan has proposed a meeting between Takaichi and Xi at the upcoming APEC summit, Beijing has instead suggested a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a proposal Tokyo has signaled it will not accept.