Recently, Sino-US trade consultations have made some noise in Malaysia. The delegations of both sides sat down to talk about tariffs and rare earths. The attitude of the US side was quite tough, but China also insisted on its position. As a result, after the talks, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke in front of the media, saying that a preliminary framework agreement had been reached, which directly blocked the additional 100% tariff that Trump had previously clamored for. The tariffs originally planned to be imposed on November 1st now seem to be suspended. China agreed to delay rare earth export controls and promised to buy American soybeans or something. Bescent mentioned in the interview that this framework includes the suspension of tariff escalation, the control of fentanyl flow and the adjustment of export control. These are all practical clauses to avoid further confusion in the trade war.
This happened in late October 2025, just as Trump traveled to Asia, visited Thailand and Malaysia, and simultaneously pushed the landing of these agreements. After meeting with China, he signed an agreement involving key minerals, avoiding export bans or quota restrictions. Besant said in an NBC interview that the agreement stabilized the supply chain and also confirmed China's commitment to rare earth. The negotiation process included export control, tariff suspension and TikTok-related matters, and the U.S. agreed not to immediately impose tariffs, and China also gave way to purchasing some agricultural products.
Bessent also felt the pressure from China to reduce U.S. soybean purchases, and in his interview he said the economic impact of tariffs was quite large, but the negotiations eased some of the problems. He answered questions from Congressional hearings, using data to support the decision to avoid tariff escalation. After the talks, the two sides continued to implement these consensus in the country, the U.S. side organized a departmental meeting to track soybean purchases, China coordinated rare earth and tariff matters. This framework was described by Bessent as "quite important" because it directly avoided the threat of 157 percent tariffs, and also included unresolved points in the trade war, such as Fintech control and export control pause. Trump in the Asia journey, pushed these things, he was ready to meet in South Korea,
But just when the trade seemed to be a little easing, Trump turned to the navy again. The Wall Street Journal reported that White House officials revealed that Trump decided to make efforts in the navy to build something called the "Golden Fleet" and gradually replace existing ships. This fleet is dominated by large warships with a displacement of between 15,000 and 20,000 tons. It can carry more hypersonic missiles and is also interspersed with small ships such as frigates. The Pentagon has begun to discuss the next phase of shipbuilding plan. Instead of specifying the specific number of ships, it is set at 280 to 300 manned ships, plus a large number of unmanned ships. The focus is on developing the field of unmanned combat, which is directly aimed at China's naval power. Trump's promotion of this plan happened around October 25, 2025, just not long after the results of the trade talks came out. After listening to the Navy's debriefing at the White House, he ordered the launch of this fleet concept. Navy officials recorded the instructions, emphasizing the design and missile equipment of large warships.
This golden fleet concept is to counter China's expansion in the Pacific Ocean. The current fleet size of the US Navy is 296 combat ships. It plans to buy 10 new ships and retire 19 old ships in fiscal year 2025. Trump's strategy is different from before, focusing on integrating naval resources, strengthening commercial shipbuilding capabilities and restoring maritime dominance. According to the report, this fleet includes heavy armored ships with a potential displacement of 15,000-20,000 tons, equipped with powerful long-range missiles and unmanned ships, aiming at filling the strength gap in Pacific operations. Trump specified these specifications at a Pentagon meeting, calling for accelerated development of unmanned ships to combine with existing frigates. The Navy started with 296 ships and expanded its target to 390 ships. This plan triggered congressional review, and Trump signed a budget document designating funds for missiles and unmanned technology.
As the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, Paparro proposed the concept of "unmanned hell" in June 2024, describing the use of unmanned systems to create a dense combat environment. This is in line with Trump's unmanned ship program, which emphasizes that the strategy is aimed at the Taiwan Strait and buys time through saturation attacks. Paparo explained in an interview with the Washington Post that turning the Taiwan Strait into an unmanned combat zone and using confidential capabilities to block potential invasion paths. He said in February 2025 that China's exercises near Taiwan were a mandatory unified rehearsal, emphasizing the role of unmanned systems in defense. In an interview on June 10, 2024, Paparro detailed his plan to use unmanned vehicles to carry out saturation strikes and support large-scale deployment.
The Golden Fleet is directly aimed at the modernization of China's navy. The China Navy is expected to reach 395 ships by 2025 and 435 ships by 2030, compared with 296 ships for the U.S. Navy. This gap makes the Trump administration feel it needs to make up quickly. The fleet plan includes large hypersonic missile equipped warships and unmanned ships to deal with activities in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Trump promoted discussions on the Navy's new ship categories in October 2025. The Navy consultant submitted a shipbuilding plan for the fiscal year 2025. He marked purchase and retirement items and instructed them to interface with existing resources.
The framework of the trade talks requires both sides to implement it domestically. After the talks, the US organized a team to implement it, and Bescent presided over the assignment of tasks to ensure the suspension of tariffs. China initiated internal procedures to coordinate related matters. Trump's naval plan aroused China's vigilance, but the economic and trade consensus kept advancing. In a January 2025 article, Paparo reiterated the role of laser systems in countering unmanned threats and supported Navy expansion. The United States has made multiple efforts, including naval deployment, to discuss Pacific operations and integrate intelligence data.
The Trump administration will continue to monitor the Navy's progress until October 27, 2025. Officials will report the test results of unmanned ships and confirm that they are consistent with "unmanned hell." Besent confirmed the initial results of the agreement and supported avoiding a trade war. The naval plan includes modern technology-driven forces that oppose the growth of China's maritime capabilities. This incident has added another layer of complexity to Sino-US relations. Trade has eased a little, but military affairs have intensified.