US-China differences persist despite Trump-Xi summit, says Trump aide

• US-China differences remain over rare earths, Taiwan and trade.

• Steve Daines urges Washington and Beijing to keep dialogue open.

• Both sides have agreed to continue talks after the Trump-Xi summit.

Serious differences remain between the United States and China despite the recent summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Republican Senator Steve Daines, a close Trump aide and key interlocutor between Washington and Beijing, has said.

Daines told the South China Morning Post that several issues that existed before Xi's visit to Washington last week remained unresolved and would require continued engagement.

“Both sides admit we’ve got some serious differences. But the answer is not to retreat. The answer is to stay engaged,” Daines said.

His comments came after US ambassador to China David Perdue accused Beijing of “weaponising” its dominant position in critical minerals. Rare earths, which are used in products ranging from consumer electronics to defence equipment, remain a major issue in US-China relations.

The White House said following the summit that Washington and Beijing would continue working on US concerns over shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals, with the aim of restoring shipments to appropriate levels.

The two countries also agreed to extend their trade truce by two months, with China maintaining commitments related to critical-mineral supplies.

Taiwan remains another major point of contention. Asked about uncertainty over US arms sales to Taiwan, Daines said the issue would remain an ongoing topic.

“It’s going to be an ongoing topic. It’s not going away,” he said.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes US arms sales to the self-governed island. During Xi's visit, he urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to the South China Morning Post.

The summit nevertheless produced agreements on several economic issues and established further channels for dialogue. The White House said both countries would continue discussions on trade and critical-mineral supply chains.

Trump and Xi are due to meet again at the APEC gathering in Shenzhen next month and at the G20 summit in Miami in December.