China has accused the US of “severely violating” the trade truce and vowed to take strong measures to protect its interests as tensions between the two powers reignite.

In early May, China and the US reached an agreement during talks in Geneva to temporarily reduce mutual tariffs, which had climbed as high as 145%.

US officials have grown increasingly concerned about the slowdown in China’s rare earth exports since the May 12 agreement, while President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that China had “completely violated” the deal.

However, on Monday, China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that Washington had implemented “a series of discriminatory and restrictive measures” in recent weeks. These actions, according to the ministry, undermined the Geneva consensus and harmed “China’s legitimate rights and interests.”

The ministry declared, “If the US insists on its own path and continues to harm China’s interests, China will continue to take strong and decisive measures to protect its legitimate rights.”

Among the US measures cited in the statement are warnings against the global use of Huawei chips, the suspension of chip design software sales to Chinese firms, and the cancellation of visas for Chinese students.

US officials had anticipated that the agreement reached on May 12 would lead China to lift its export restrictions on rare earth elements, which were announced in early April. However, China did not alter its export regime and continued to slow shipments to the US.

These critical minerals are extensively used in American automotive, electronics, and defense supply chains. The slowdown in exports to the US elevates the threat of work stoppages within the US manufacturing sector.

China’s Ministry of Commerce asserted, “The US has unilaterally initiated new trade frictions.” The ministry further added, “Instead of questioning its own actions, it accused China of violating the consensus.”

Trump informed reporters on Friday that he hoped to resolve the dispute in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has yet to act on this idea, which he has mentioned several times in recent months.

China has agreed on procedures to restart imports of Japanese seafood, Japan’s government announced on Friday, marking a step towards ending a trade ban that has lasted for approximately two years.

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China’s General Administration of Customs reached the agreement during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. The ministry added that seafood exports to China are anticipated to resume once China completes the “necessary procedures.”

China’s General Administration of Customs stated that “significant progress” has been achieved between the two nations following a series of discussions concerning Japanese seafood trade.

This agreement materializes as both governments endeavor to alleviate tensions arising from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, described the agreement as an “important milestone” during a regular press conference.

“We will continue our calls for Japan to resume beef exports to China and for the lifting of import restrictions on agricultural and seafood products from ten prefectures, including Fukushima and Tokyo,” Hayashi added. The aforementioned prefectures were not included in this particular agreement.

The Ministry of Agriculture detailed that under the agreed measures, Japan will register its fisheries processing facilities with Chinese authorities. Furthermore, inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances will accompany all exports.

Nikkei Asia, which previously reported on this development, indicated that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future.

China had imposed a ban on Japanese seafood imports shortly after Tokyo commenced the release of treated wastewater from Fukushima into the sea, a decision that precipitated diplomatic and economic strains.

Early voting has begun for the South Korean presidential election. Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is predicted to win the snap presidential election scheduled for June 3. This outcome could lead to a new direction in the policies of a key US ally, spanning from China to North Korea.

Conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office in December following a brief martial law decree, had worked diligently to support Washington, maintain a tough stance against North Korea, repair relations with Japan, and coordinate actions with the US. Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 election, has long approached the US alliance with greater skepticism, promising to improve relations with North Korea and harshly criticizing Yoon’s rapprochement with Japan. During his campaign, Lee emphasized that South Korea should stay out of any China-Taiwan conflict and pledged to mend ties with China. However, following subsequent discussions, he began to praise the US alliance and stated he would continue trilateral cooperation with Japan and the US, which Washington deems vital for countering China and North Korea.

Wi Sung-lac, a lawmaker advising Lee on foreign policy, told Reuters, “The Yoon administration advocated for democratic values in foreign policy while pursuing authoritarian tactics in domestic policy,” adding: “In contrast, if the Democratic Party wins, the new government will be prepared to genuinely defend democracy and pursue a foreign policy based on these values, proven by the long history of the struggle for democratic rights in Korea.”

According to Reuters, some in Washington wonder whether Lee’s changes on a range of issues will be permanent and whether his views might clash with the US. Trump imposed tariffs on South Korea, demanded it cover more of the costs for the 28,500 troops stationed in the country, and increased competition with China.

Bruce Klingner, a former CIA analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, said, “There are significant doubts whether Lee will genuinely deviate from his previous stance of reconciliation with China and North Korea, nationalist antagonism towards Japan, and greater independence in the alliance with the US.”

Darcie Draudt-Vejares from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in a report that while this transformation increases Lee’s appeal, “it also raises concerns about future policy and governance consistency.”

Much has changed in the three years since South Korea’s last liberal president, Moon Jae-in, left office. His tenure involved managing trade and political conflicts with Tokyo over historical disputes related to Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula, and his attempts to secure lasting diplomatic agreements between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The impeached conservative Yoon reversed this entire process, aligning South Korea’s defense and foreign policy with US preferences.

On the other hand, a Western diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters that Lee is unlikely to revert to his previous stance due to China’s assertive posture, doubts about US commitments, and North Korea’s new cooperation with Russia.

Lee has pledged to cooperate with Japan in security, technology, culture, and environmental fields, but criticized Yoon for conceding too much while receiving little in return.

Yoon and the conservatives raised the possibility of redeploying American nuclear weapons to the peninsula to counter North Korea, or even developing their own arsenal. However, Lee has rejected these calls.

In an interview with TIME magazine published on Thursday, Lee praised Trump’s “extraordinary skills” in negotiation. He also compared himself to the American president, saying both survived assassination attempts and sought to protect their countries’ interests.

Lee stated on a discussion program on Tuesday, “I believe the South Korea-US alliance is the foundation of South Korean diplomacy.” Nevertheless, he listed US protectionism as a challenge and said he would not “unnecessarily” antagonize China and Russia.

North Korea is one area where Lee might find common ground with Trump. This could also be one of the most challenging issues to address.

Lee has said he will reopen hotlines with North Korea and attempt to establish dialogue with Pyongyang to reduce tensions. Lee could cooperate on this matter with Trump, who has emphasized his desire to handle relations with Kim Jong Un.

On the other hand, Lee, who accuses the conservative Yoon administration of bringing relations with China to their worst point in South Korean history, might adopt a more cautious and balanced approach to ties with Beijing, not succumbing to US demands.

Following Yoon’s impeachment after the failed martial law attempt, the South Korean presidential election will be held on June 3.