WASHINGTON: The White House has declared that the United States stands poised to engage in a trade accord with China, yet it has emphasized that the initiative for negotiations must originate from Beijing. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt articulated that President Donald Trump remains receptive to the prospect of striking a trade deal with China, contingent upon China taking the lead.
"The fate of the negotiations now rests with China: It is China that needs to forge an agreement with us; we are not compelled to seek one with them," Leavitt elaborated during the briefing, sharing that Trump had imparted this sentiment directly to her in an Oval Office meeting for her to convey. "China craves what we possess—the American consumer, or more bluntly, they are desperate for our financial prowess," she added.
In a retaliatory maneuver on Friday, China escalated tariffs on US imports to a staggering 125%, in response to Trump's drastic increase of US tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, while temporarily halting planned tariffs on goods from other nations. Trump has spoken highly of Chinese President Xi Jinping, yet neither leader has budged in the escalating trade conflict between their respective countries.
"The president has once again made it abundantly clear that he is open to reaching a deal with China. However, it is China that must come to terms with the United States of America," Leavitt reiterated. Trump has expressed optimism that something positive will emerge from the trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. Nevertheless, unlike several other nations that have sought deals with Washington in response to his tariff proposals, Beijing has instead hiked its own tariffs on US goods and refrained from initiating talks.
