Bessent Says US Aircraft Engines, Chemicals Are Bargaining Chips in China Trade Talks

He suggested Beijing’s grip on rare earth metals is a major vulnerability, but said the United States has ways to respond as both sides gear for more talks.
Bessent Says US Aircraft Engines, Chemicals Are Bargaining Chips in China Trade Talks
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends the 80th U.N. General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 23, 2025. Reuters/Jeenah Moon
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said American aircraft engines and parts, along with certain chemicals, could provide leverage for the United States in trade talks with China, where rare earth supplies remain a central issue.

Bessent made the remarks in a Sept. 24 interview on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” program, as Washington and Beijing spar over rare earths—critical to defense and technology—amid ongoing tariff disputes.

Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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