Washington: Eyes across the world are locked on the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a diplomatic clash of giants that will unfold on October 30 during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. Both governments waited months for the perfect stage, and Washington has now confirmed that the long-anticipated encounter is finally happening. Beijing watches every signal, decoding every gesture from the White House.

This moment almost slipped away. Tensions kept rising as the world’s two biggest economies pressed into a contest with no brakes. China made the first dramatic move, placing strict limits on its rare-earth mineral exports under national security laws. These minerals power modern technology from smartphones to fi

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