WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday (Feb 19) that a trade deal was “possible” with China – a key target in the US leader’s tariffs policy.
In 2020, the US had already agreed to “a great trade deal with China” and a new deal was “possible”, Trump told reporters.
Asked about the comments, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Thursday the two countries should handle trade tensions with “mutual respect”.
One month into his second term in office, Trump has threatened sweeping tariffs on allies and adversaries alike – targeting China, neighbours Canada and Mexico as well as the European Union – and using levies as his main policy tool for lowering the massive US trade deficit.
At the beginning of February, he slapped additional customs duties of 10 per cent on all products imported from China.
Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that China and the US “should resolve their concerns through dialogue and consultation based on equality and mutual respect”.
“Trade and tariff wars have no winners and only serve to damage the interests of people all over the world,” ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing.
At a separate news conference, China’s commerce ministry said Beijing “urges the US side not to wield the big stick of tariffs at every turn, using tariffs as a tool to engage in coercion all around”.
Trump is also threatening to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all imported cars, and similar or higher duties on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as he turns up the heat on some of the biggest US trading partners.
He also told journalists aboard Air Force One on Wednesday that his administration was considering lumber tariffs of “maybe 25 per cent” in the coming months.
The president also initially announced tariffs of 25 per cent on all Canadian and Mexican imports, before U-turning hours before they were due to come into effect, granting a one-month reprieve in principle until Mar 1.
And he signed executive orders last week imposing new 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, due to come into effect on Mar 12.
EXEMPTIONS REQUESTED
Experts have warned it is often Americans who pay the tariffs on US imports – not foreign exporters.
Beijing has responded to the US tariffs with customs duties of 15 per cent on coal and liquefied natural gas and 10 per cent on oil and other goods, such as agricultural machinery and vehicles.
