Beijing has accused Washington of misleading the public regarding trade talks between the United States and China. The Chinese foreign ministry urged the US to stop spreading false information about bilateral tariff negotiations and stated that it was not aware of any plans to exempt tariffs on certain US imports.
During a press briefing, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese ministry, clarified that there were no ongoing consultations or talks between the two countries regarding tariffs. This statement came after US President Donald Trump claimed that trade talks were underway, despite denials from both the Chinese foreign ministry and commerce ministry.
The conflicting statements from Beijing and Washington have created uncertainty about when or if the world’s two largest economies will begin discussions on the high tariffs imposed on each other’s goods. The escalating trade war has seen multiple rounds of tariff increases and retaliatory measures, resulting in US tariffs on Chinese goods reaching 145% and Chinese tariffs on US imports reaching 125%.
Recent reports suggested that the Trump administration was considering lowering tariffs on certain Chinese imports, contingent on negotiations with Beijing. However, China insisted that the US must cancel all unilateral tariffs to address the trade issue effectively.
In response to the economic challenges posed by the trade war, China’s top policymakers convened a meeting to discuss supporting businesses and workers amid external shocks. The tit-for-tat tariffs initiated by President Trump in April have disrupted trade between the US and China, raising concerns about a global economic slowdown.
This week, the US acknowledged the unsustainable nature of the situation, while China hinted at potentially exempting some US imports from its steep tariffs. This development signals Beijing’s growing concerns about the economic consequences of the ongoing trade dispute.
