China Denies Trade Talks With US Despite Trump’s Claim of Call With Xi Jinping
China has firmly reiterated that it has not engaged in any trade talks with the United States, contradicting President Donald Trump’s recent claims. In an interview conducted on April 22 with Time magazine and published on Friday, Trump mentioned that he had received a call from Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, he did not provide specific details about when the call occurred or what topics were discussed. Trump simply stated, “He’s called,” adding, “And I don’t think that’s a sign of weakness on his behalf.”
Despite Trump’s assertion, China’s Commerce Ministry had already made it clear on Thursday that no economic or trade negotiations were underway between Beijing and Washington. Strengthening that position, China’s embassy in Washington issued a statement on WeChat on Saturday, firmly denying any ongoing consultations or agreements on tariffs. Without directly mentioning Trump or Xi by name, the statement criticized remarks from the U.S. side suggesting that tariff discussions were happening, labeling such claims as “nothing but misleading.”
The Chinese embassy’s statement emphasized that the current trade conflict was initiated by the United States. It asserted that if the U.S. genuinely wishes to resolve the issue through dialogue, it must first “correct its mistakes,” cease all threats and pressure tactics, and fully remove all unilateral tariff measures imposed on China. The escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies has seen tit-for-tat tariffs, with U.S. duties on many Chinese goods reaching a staggering 145 percent.
President Trump, however, remains optimistic and suggested that new trade deals with U.S. trading partners could be announced within the coming weeks. Speaking to Time, Trump commented on China’s possible willingness to negotiate, saying, “There’s a number at which they will feel comfortable,” but stressed, “you can’t let them make a trillion dollars on us,” highlighting his administration’s firm stance on rebalancing trade relationships.
The ongoing tensions and conflicting narratives underline the uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-China trade relationship. With both sides standing their ground, it remains to be seen if any real negotiations will take place or if the conflict will continue to escalate further, impacting global markets and economic stability.
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