President Trump says he wants a ‘fair’ trade deal with China, but it’s still unclear when the two sides will break the deadlock over tariffs.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Wednesday, Trump said talks with Beijing are ongoing and that both countries could agree.
However, top US officials gave no clear answers on how or when the current tariffs might be reduced.
Trump told reporters his country would have a “fair deal with China,” adding that “everything’s active” when asked whether Washington was talking to Beijing.
However, how soon the tariffs might be lowered “depends on them,” Trump said, referring to Beijing, even as he maintained that he gets along “very well” with Chinese President Xi Jinping and hopes they can reach an agreement.
Trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies have soared as Trump ramped up levies on imports from China this year, imposing an additional 145 percent tariff on many products over practices Washington has deemed unfair, and other issues.
Beijing, in turn, has retaliated with new 125 percent tariffs on US goods.
Despite signals that Washington is looking towards a fair agreement, the state of discussions remains murky.
Asked whether there is direct US contact with China on trade, Trump said: “Every day.”
