In the first sign of a thaw since the US-China tariff war, Beijing is assessing the possibility of trade talks with Donald Trump’s administration. China’s Commerce Ministry said on Friday that it had noted US officials’ repeated efforts to strike a negotiated trade deal after the US President hiked tariffs last month. This softened stance of the Chinese government hints at a possible relief from the ongoing tit-for-tat tariff war between the world’s two largest economies.
“The US has recently sent messages to China through relevant parties, hoping to start talks with China,” Bloomberg cited a spokesperson for China’s ministry as saying. “China is currently evaluating this,” the ministry added.
The US started tariff hike and trade disputes on its own, China said in a statement. If it wants to hold talks, it must show ‘sincerity’ by addressing key issues—like reversing its trade policies and removing the tariffs it imposed without agreement, the spokesperson added.
"In any potential dialogue or talks, if the United States does not rectify its erroneous unilateral tariff measures, it would demonstrate a complete lack of sincerity and further undermine mutual trust," Beijing said.
US tariffs’ impact on China
China has softened its stance on tariffs amid reports that goods imported from China, valued at USD 800 or less, which were sent through the postal network, are now facing a duty of either 90% of their value or USD 75 per item. This amount will increase to USD 150 per item starting 1 June, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
{{/usCountry}}China has softened its stance on tariffs amid reports that goods imported from China, valued at USD 800 or less, which were sent through the postal network, are now facing a duty of either 90% of their value or USD 75 per item. This amount will increase to USD 150 per item starting 1 June, according to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
{{/usCountry}}The new tariffs have caused several China ships carrying goods to the US to turn back, media reports said.
US-China tariff war
Currently, China is the only country facing US tariffs, while Trump has paused reciprocal tariffs on other countries, including India and the EU. China remains the only country to have responded with similar levies. For China, the US is its third-largest export market.
Trump imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese exports, later increasing the tariffs on Chinese goods to 245%, according to the White House. In response, Beijing slapped 125% tariffs on US exports.
While Trump insisted that discussions were ongoing and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had spoken with him, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had firmly rejected these claims.