Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to pursue constructive and stable ties at a meeting on Friday that may ease fears she would adopt a more combative approach toward Beijing.

Meanwhile, China expanded its free trade pact with a group of Southeast Asian nations, deepening its economic ties with a region that Trump sought to court with a flurry of trade deals.

Some analysts say Beijing won a major victory in its trade talks: Getting the U.S. to withdraw a national security measure that previously was not under discussion.

Trump described his Thursday meeting with Xi as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American ...