Foreign Affairs
Beijing Says Negotiations Impossible As Trump Slams ‘STUPID TRADE’ Relationship With China
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China warned Monday that negotiations with the U.S. are impossible as President Donald Trump criticized the bilateral trading relationship on Twitter.
The U.S. and China are locked in a fierce and escalating trade dispute that first began early March. China imposed $3 billion in tariffs on American exports in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs Trump announced at the beginning of March. When Trump announced $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods as punishment for Chinese theft of American intellectual property, Beijing responded with a threat to hit the U.S. with reciprocal tariffs. Troubled by China’s retaliatory actions, Trump threatened China with $100 billion in additional tariffs, causing outrage in Beijing.
The president tweeted Sunday morning that China and the U.S. will eventually make a deal that benefits both countries.
President Xi and I will always be friends, no matter what happens with our dispute on trade. China will take down its Trade Barriers because it is the right thing to do. Taxes will become Reciprocal & a deal will be made on Intellectual Property. Great future for both countries!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 8, 2018
But, on Monday, the president lashed out, criticizing America’s trading relationship with China.
When a car is sent to the United States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%. When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a Tariff to be paid of 25%. Does that sound like free or fair trade. No, it sounds like STUPID TRADE – going on for years!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 9, 2018
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang, reiterating points made by the Ministry of Commerce last week, argued Monday that the U.S. is responsible for trade tensions and that the current situation makes trade talks impossible.
Washington and Beijing have yet to move forward with the hard-hitting tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in exports they have been threatening, which may suggest that a peaceful solution is still a possibility.
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