China Urges US to Eliminate Tariffs Amid Trade War De-escalation Signals

BEIJING: Chinese officials have urged the United States to eliminate all existing “unilateral” tariffs, as indications suggest the Trump administration might be considering easing trade tensions with China.

China has also stated that no trade discussions have occurred with the U.S., contradicting multiple statements from the American government implying engagement between the two nations.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently asserted that an agreement with China is forthcoming, mentioning “direct contact” between both countries. Trump defends his tariffs as “reciprocal,” intended to rectify what he views as unjust trade imbalances.

Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong stated that the U.S. should remove all “unilateral tariff measures” against China, “if it truly wanted” a resolution.

China’s Position on Tariffs

“The individual who initiated the issue must resolve it,” He remarked to reporters during a press briefing.

According to a source cited by Reuters, the Trump administration is considering reducing tariffs on Chinese imports from the existing 145% to a range of 50% to 65%, pending negotiations with Beijing.

He also encouraged the U.S. to consider the “rational viewpoints” expressed by the international community and domestic stakeholders.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun clarified that “China and the United States have not engaged in consultations or negotiations regarding tariffs, nor have they reached any consensus,” dismissing reports suggesting otherwise as “false news.”

Domestically, China convened a roundtable on Wednesday to address concerns from over 80 foreign companies and chambers regarding the impact of U.S. tariffs on their investments and operations within China, as stated by the commerce ministry.

Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji, while speaking at the roundtable, encouraged foreign firms to “turn crises into opportunities,” and pledged to address the challenges they face.

In Washington D.C., central bank Governor Pan Gongsheng stated China’s firm commitment to free trade principles and the multilateral trading system during a G20 meeting held in conjunction with the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings.