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Steel accumulation visible at Guoyuan Port in Chongqing, China, on April 20, 2025.
BEIJING — On Thursday, Chinese officials clarified that there are currently no discussions taking place with the United States regarding tariffs, contrary to some recent comments from the White House suggesting a potential easing of frictions.
“Currently, there are no negotiations occurring related to economic and trade issues between China and the U.S.,” stated Ministry of Commerce Spokesperson He Yadong during a press conference, as reported by CNBC. He emphasized that any claims about progress in bilateral discussions are misleading and should be disregarded.
“If the United States genuinely desires a resolution … it ought to eliminate all unilateral measures imposed on China,” He added.
This week, remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at a possible reduction in tensions with China. Earlier this month, the White House had instituted a steep 145% tariff on a range of Chinese goods, to which China retaliated with its own tariffs and tighter regulations on critical mineral exports to the U.S.
The Ministry of Commerce’s statements were consistent with those of Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who also affirmed that no negotiations were underway, according to state media reports.
Both spokespersons reiterated that China is open to dialogue with the U.S., provided that Beijing is treated as an equal in the discussions.
In recent weeks, several financial institutions on Wall Street have revised their GDP projections for China downward, attributing this adjustment to the impact of tariffs and the rising tensions with the U.S.
The Commerce Ministry stressed its commitment to promoting domestic and business initiatives that encourage exports to the Chinese market as a strategy to counterbalance the unfavorable trade dynamics.
While the U.S. remains China’s largest single-country trading partner, Southeast Asia has recently surpassed the European Union as China’s largest regional trading partner.
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