Onboard Air Force One: President Trump Avoids Tariff Discussions with China
US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he chose not to address tariffs during his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Returning to Washington, Trump described the trade agreements reached with China as “fantastic.”
He remarked, “We didn’t discuss those… It wasn’t brought up,” despite expectations that the two leaders would review the one-year tariff truce established in their last meeting in October in South Korea. This truce had temporarily eased a tense trade war, which had seen tariffs rise above 100 percent on numerous goods.
However, circumstances have changed since then. The agreement allowed the US to keep some tariffs, particularly concerning China’s suspected involvement in global fentanyl supply routes and allegations of unfair practices.
In February, the US Supreme Court invalidated several of Trump’s tariffs, including those related to drug trafficking. Following that decision, the White House enacted a new 10-percent global tariff using temporary authority and launched investigations that may result in more permanent tariffs. This new tariff has also faced challenges in US courts.
Earlier in the week, Trump arrived in Beijing with hopes of finalizing agreements in various sectors, such as agriculture, aviation, and artificial intelligence. After the first day of discussions, he noted that Xi had expressed willingness to assist with opening the Strait of Hormuz and purchasing Boeing aircraft, along with American oil and soybeans.
However, no official announcements have been made, and when asked about Trump’s claims on Friday afternoon, the Chinese foreign ministry neither confirmed nor denied his statements.
