Donald Trump’s unpredictable approach to the US-China trade war took a bizarre turn this week, with the President claiming that negotiations are happening daily, while Beijing insisted they had no knowledge of such discussions. To summarise, the United States has imposed an import tax of 145 per cent on Chinese goods entering the country. As existing inventories are depleted and new stock arrives, Americans can expect higher prices or reduced availability of products on shop shelves. In response, China has introduced a 125 per cent tariff on US imports and warned other nations that striking trade agreements with the United States at China’s expense would have consequences.
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Despite President Trump’s softer tone in recent days — promising to be “very nice” in negotiations and acknowledging that tariffs were “too high” — no formal talks appear to have been arranged or taken place. Following a meeting with major retailers concerned about the impact of tariffs on their businesses, Trump stated that substantial tariff reductions were planned. However, when Cabinet members were asked on national television to clarify who was speaking with China, confusion prevailed. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that while informal interactions had occurred at IMF and World Bank meetings, no direct tariff negotiations had been held.
Amidst the uncertainty, President Trump maintained that meetings had taken place, though Chinese officials continued to deny any such engagement. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins echoed the President’s assertions, stating that conversations regarding trade were ongoing, albeit offering few specifics. Rollins defended Trump’s methods as “strategic uncertainty,” portraying him as the “ultimate deal maker” seeking to hold China accountable, particularly regarding agricultural trade, which she claimed had faced longstanding barriers and disadvantages.
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Meanwhile, Chinese officials remained firm, stating that claims of progress in negotiations were baseless. China’s Ministry of Commerce likened such reports to “trying to catch the wind”, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that China is willing to negotiate, but only under certain conditions. President Trump, speaking in the Oval Office, suggested that meetings had taken place that morning, yet offered no details. With both sides entrenched and public statements conflicting, the path towards a resolution of the trade dispute appears as uncertain as ever.
