US Treasury Scott Bessent has announced ‘an agreement’ between the US and China.

Since Donald Trump announced April 2 as ‘Liberation Day’ for the US, unleashing tariffs on countries across the globe, the US and China have ended up in a brutal game of tariff table tennis.

China ended up the worst hit by the POTUS’ tariffs – tariffs reaching as high as 145 percent on some items.

However, despite Trump’s warnings, the country hit back, unveiling its own counter-tariffs as high as 125 percent.

Over a month later, after negotiating with China in Geneva, Bessent revealed during a press conference that the US and China have at least agreed to a ’90-day pause’ to tariffs.

Whether this will mark an end to the trade war altogether, we’ll have to wait and see, but Bessent revealed both sides have also agreed to slash tariffs too.

He said: “[Both sides have also agreed to] substantially move down the tariff level. Both sides on the reciprocal tariffs will move their tariffs down 115 percent.”

China was charged as high as 125 percent on some US goods, and the US charged 145 percent on some Chinese imports.

The rates are subsequently set to fall to 10 percent and 30 percent for the 90-day period ahead. However, the US’ measures were placed on China in a bid to tackle the illegal trade in fentanyl reportedly remain.

US trade representative Jamieson Greer noted: “Both the Chinese and United States agreed to work constructively together on fentanyl and there’s a positive path forward there as well.”

The pause is reported as beginning on May 14, with both countries set to ‘establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relation,’ as per a joint statement on the deal quoted by the BBC.

China and the US have reached an ‘agreement’ (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

It follows Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng reflecting on discussions as being ‘constructive,’ state news agency Xinhua reports.

China’s ministry of commerce said in a statement, as quoted by the Financial Times: “We believe that continued consultations will help resolve issues of concern to both sides in the economic and trade fields.”

Bessent added during the press briefing this morning: “We want more balanced trade, and I think both sides are committed to achieving that. Neither side wants a decoupling.”

Beijing’s ministry of commerce added: “[China and the US have agreed to] continue to advance related work in a spirit of mutual openness, continuous communication, co-operation and mutual respect.”

Another staggering gold reserve has potentially been found in China, a state media outlet claims.

Off the back of an announcement at the end of last year announcing the discovery of a ‘super-large gold deposit’ in central China’s Hunan Province, scientists say they’ve potentially discovered another gold deposit in northeastern China.

The latest discovery

The latest discovery of gold in the country’s northeast is said to have been aided by China’s advanced 3D geological modeling and South China Morning Post reports that the deposit site measures over 3km by 2.5km.

The most recent find is said to potentially indicate a deposit of gold measuring a staggering 1,000 tonnes – which, at the time of writing, equates to around $55,886,360, according to Bullion By Post.

If proven, this could mean the discovery is another among the largest found gold deposits in the world, following off the back of another exciting discovery in November last year when a team of geologists drilled beneath the Wangu field in Pingjiang County, with Hunan’s Geological Bureau claiming a number of 40 veins discovered on rocks filled with gold, with an estimated value of over 1,000 metric tonnes of gold believed to be at the site (via The Independent).

A large discovery was also made in China last year ( Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The last discovery

The team from Hunan Province Geological Disaster Survey and Monitoring Institute used 3D geological modeling to help locate the gold – alongside the mechanical drills and equipment of course.

Ore-prospecting expert at the bureau, Chen Rulin, told Xinhua Net: “Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold.”

When the team of geologists drilled down 2,000 meters, they found a tonne of ore contained a maximum of 138 grams of gold and estimated there to be around 300 tonnes of ore.

Expecting to be able to drill down to a depth of 3,000 meters, it’s estimated there’s actually around a staggering 1,000 tonnes of ore hiding under the surface which is valued at a staggering 600 billion yuan ($83 billion).

The discovery still needs to be proven ( CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Yet again, the story – and site – is truly the gift which just keeps on giving, with Liu revealing it’s also believed there may be more discoveries to be made in surrounding areas, with gold already found in the site’s peripheral areas.

The China Gold Association reports China is behind South Africa, Australia and Russia when it comes to proven gold mine reserves, but comes out on the top spot when it comes to being the world’s largest producer of gold ore.

If proven, the most recent discoveries could help solidify the county’s gold production.

A man who received a random packet of seeds in the post decided to plant them.

Doyle Crenshaw, from Arkansas, US, received a mystery parcel in the mail to find come seeds inside.

The package was advertized has having jewelry inside but instead had the mystery seeds. And to make matters even more unusual, the return address was one in China.

Not thinking much into it, Doyle decided to plant the seeds to see what they grew into. This could have ended in disaster, however, as local authorities were concerned that the seeds were that of an invasive species.

Scott Bray of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture said at the time: “Our concern is from an invasive-pest aspect; these seeds could introduce an invasive weed or an invasive insect pest or a plant disease.”

Fortunately, this wasn’t the case and Doyle’s seeds grew into a huge plant with fruits on it.

He told KSFM of the then-new addition to his garden: “Every two weeks I’d come by and put Miracle-Gro on it, and they just started growing like crazy.”

Experts couldn’t quite put their finger on what type of plant it was, but Doyle’s boasted large white fruits and orange flowers, which some compared to a squash plant.

People couldn’t work out what the seeds were. (Whitehouse Police Department/Facebook)

As to why Doyle received the seeds in the mail, it was suspected that he was victim of a ‘brushing’ scam.

Whitehouse Police Department said in a statement shared on social media in 2020: “We have done some researching and it does appear that these seeds are tied with an online scam called ‘brushing’. A brushing scam is an exploit by a vendor used to bolster product ratings and increase visibility online by shipping an inexpensive product to an unwitting receiver and then submitting positive reviews on the receiver’s behalf under the guise of a verified owner.

“Although not directly dangerous, we would still prefer that people contact us to properly dispose of the seeds.”

Doyle Crenshaw, from Arkansas, planted the mystery seeds. (5News)

A woman who lives near Chicago has experienced a similar ordeal recently has received an influx of unsolicited Temu parcels.

Isabelle Wood claims to have received hundreds of parcels from the Chinese retailer. Items she’s received range from chess sets and pleather jackets to a karaoke machine and camera.

While Isabelle reached out to Temu, the parcels have kept on coming.

It’s now believed that her address is being used as part of a brushing scam.

US President Donald Trump has spoken out stating there ‘was no Tariff exception’ and items are simply moving to ‘a different Tariff bucket’.

With April 2 branded ‘Liberation Day‘ for America, Donald Trump unveiled a series of tariffs affecting countries across the globe, with China being among the worst hit.

China has ended up with a staggering 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods ‘effective immediately’ after it tried to hit back with its own retaliatory tariffs.

China’s commerce ministry warned the US to ‘take a big step back to correct its mistakes’ and ‘return to the right path of mutual respect’, and on April 11, Trump’s administration seemingly took a quiet tiptoe back, announcing smartphones, computers and other certain products would be exempt from the hiked tariffs, including Chinese goods.

Alas, it may actually be a case of one step back in preparation for a whole new leap forward.

Yesterday (April 13), US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC News that the exemptions may only be temporary and a ‘semiconductor tariff’ could be announced soon instead.

Indeed, Trump took to Truth Social on April 13, writing: “We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.

“What has been exposed is that we need to make products in the United States, and that we will not be held hostage by other Countries, especially hostile trading Nations like China, which will do everything within its power to disrespect the American People.

“We also cannot let them continue to abuse us on Trade, like they have for decades, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!”

Trump has revealed the ‘whole electronic supply chain’ is under scrutiny (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Trump warned ‘nobody’ is ‘getting off the hook’ for the unfair Trade Balances, and ‘Non Monetary Tariff Barriers, that other Countries have used against [the US], especially not China which, by far, treats [the US] the worst!’

Trump argued: “There was no Tariff ‘exception’ announced on Friday. These products are subject to the existing 20 percent Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.’ The Fake News knows this, but refuses to report it.”

The POTUS resolved: “The Golden Age of America, which includes the upcoming Tax and Regulation Cuts, a substantial amount of which was just approved by the House and Senate, will mean more and better paying Jobs, making products in our Nation, and treating other Countries, in particular China, the same way they have treated us.

“The bottom line is that our Country will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”