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Trump says he’s in no rush to engage with Chinese leader amid trade tensions

by editor

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump indicated that he is “in no rush” to engage in discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, despite earlier expectations that a meeting would take place on the same day. This announcement came as trade tensions escalated following the imposition of new tariffs by both nations.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “We’ll speak to him at the appropriate time. I’m in no rush.” His comments came just a day after both countries enacted fresh trade measures. Despite efforts to reach an agreement to mitigate Trump’s threat of a 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, the deadline of midnight Monday passed without a resolution. Notably, Trump had chosen to postpone the implementation of a 25 percent tariff on Mexico and Canada.

Retaliatory measures from Beijing

In response to Trump’s tariffs, which were enacted shortly thereafter, Beijing announced a series of retaliatory penalties. These included a 15 percent tariff on imports of U.S. coal and liquefied natural gas, along with 10 percent tariffs on crude oil, agricultural machinery, and select vehicles. However, these tariffs are scheduled to take effect on February 10, providing both nations with a window to negotiate a potential deal.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. We’re going to do very well against China and against everybody else,” Trump stated, downplaying the impact of China’s retaliatory measures.

Uncertain timeline for future discussions

The lack of urgency from Trump suggests that an agreement between the two economic powerhouses may not be forthcoming in the immediate future. This stance appears to contrast with comments made earlier by Peter Navarro, a White House adviser, who suggested during a POLITICO event that a phone call between the two leaders could take place soon: “Let’s see what happens with the call today,” Navarro noted.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that there were no updates regarding the timing of any potential discussions.

Trump had anticipated a conversation with Xi, mentioning on Monday that he expected to speak with the Chinese leader “probably over the next 24 hours.” He described the 10 percent tariff as an “opening salvo,” asserting, “If we can’t make a deal with China, then the tariffs will be very, very substantial.”

The president has consistently argued that the tariffs on Chinese imports are crucial in pressuring China to address the issue of fentanyl smuggling into the United States, as the country is believed to be a significant source of precursor chemicals for this addictive opioid.

In its retaliatory measures, China has also broadened its export restrictions on critical metals, expanded its list of restricted entities, and initiated an antitrust investigation into Google for alleged violations of China’s anti-monopoly laws.

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