President Donald Trump remains “optimistic” about striking a deal with China despite the country increasing its tariffs on US imports to 125% as a retaliatory response to the POTUS’ 145% tariff decision.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday, “The president has made it very clear he’s open to a deal with China.” Adding that Trump is “optimistic” about a potential agreement between the two countries, she noted, “The president … would be gracious if China intends to make a deal with the United States. If China continues to retaliate, it’s not good for China. The United States of America is the strongest, best economy in the world, as evidenced by the more than 75 countries who have called the administration immediately to cut good deals.”
Where do the US-China trade negotiations stand?
Although she also shared with reporters that “very good progress” has been made with an unnamed country, she remained silent on whether Donald Trump is waiting for China to approach him first. “I’m not going to comment on communications that are happening or may not be happening,” she remarked.
Back to how a reporter grilled Karoline Leavitt over Trump not initiating trade talks with Xi. Referencing the US president’s past comments on relationship with China, the reporter taunted, “President Trump has said he has a great relationship with Chinese Xi, he’s willing to speak with him directly. Why doesn’t the president just pick up the phone and get this ball going?”
On the contrary, two senior White House officials shed light on the issue, telling CNN that the Republican president was, in fact, waiting for China to make the first move. It is believed that the Trump administration told Chinese officials for nearly two months that President Xi Jinping should request a call with the MAGA leader. However, their warnings and notes were followed by China bumping up the tariffs on US imports.
The CNN report further suggested that as China refuses to back down and pay heed to US’ requests for a leader-level call, the Trump administration voiced qualms against China’s foreign minister Wang Yi sitting in as the interlocutor despite not being a part of Xi’s inner circle. The United States has reportedly handed over a list of names that the Trump admin is ready to engage with. However, China hasn’t made any move favouring America’s demands.
China doubles down on hitting back at US’ ‘bullying behaviour’
Instead, the country has repeatedly hit back against the US and Trump tariffs, saying “If the US truly wants to have talks, it should stop its capricious and destructive behaviour. For the welfare of the Chinese and the people of the world, for the fairness and justice of the global order, China will never bow to maximum pressure of the United States.”
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to criticise the US approach to trade talks in the statement, adding “In the face of US hegemony and bullying, remember this: Give the bully an inch, he will take a mile.” Asserting “the US must change its approach” towards trade talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stressed, “If the US is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end.”
Lin also noted that China’s countermeasures against the Bullying behaviors were “not only to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests, but also to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests… also to uphold international rules and order, the common interests of countries in the world, and international fairness and justice.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping previously engaged with Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, where he pointed out how “there will be no winners in a tariff war, and going against the world will isolate oneself,” taking a dig at the US tariffs. Stressing on China and EU’s unity, Xi firmly established they will “jointly resist unilateral bullying.”