President Donald Trump believes it is up to China, not the United States, to come to the negotiating table on trade, the White House said Tuesday as tensions escalate between the world’s two biggest economies.
“The ball is in China’s court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them,” said a statement from Trump read out by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a briefing.
“There’s no difference between China and any other country except they are much larger,” she added.
While Leavitt maintained that Trump was open to a deal with Beijing, she stressed that it was China that needed to step forward first – pointing to the strength of the US consumer market as leverage.
Trade tensions between Washington and Beijing have been flaring, and the situation has worsened since Trump took office in January.
Trump initially imposed tariffs on imports from China over its alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain – and recently stepped up those levels sharply over trade practices that Washington deems unfair.
This year alone, Trump has imposed an additional 145 percent tariff on many goods from China, stacking atop duties from previous administrations.
This involved 20 percent over fentanyl and other illicit drugs, as well as 125 percent over trade practices.
Trump’s administration has, however, allowed certain tech products like smartphones and laptops temporary reprieve from the latest levy.
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