WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets to the United States. Asked directly by a reporter aboard Air Force One whether Xi had agreed to do so, Trump replied: "Yes, he did."

But there was a discrepancy in the two sides’ statements after the Trump-Xi call on one of the most contentious issues: rare earths, which are needed to make all kinds of advanced technologies and are produced almost entirely in China.

President Donald Trump has vented his frustration with China's President Xi Jinping, as the trade conflict flares again, despite an agreement in Geneva to slash tariffs and work constructively to resolve key differences.