US President Donald Trump confirmed a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks amid rising trade tensions. While Trump acknowledged that his 100% tariff on Chinese imports is unsustainable, Beijing accused Washington of double standards and warned of countermeasures.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that he is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in two weeks. This comes days after Trump stated that there was “no reason” to meet Jinping. The announcement signals a possible easing of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.ย After announcing a 100 per cent tariff on all Chinese imports last week, Trump acknowledged the measure may not be sustainable in the long run. “It’s not sustainable, but that’s what the number is…They forced me to do that,โ Trump told Fox Business Network.
Recent tensions between US and China
The statement comes after a volatile few days of exchanges between the two countries. Last week, Trump accused Beijing of trying to “hold the world captive” through new export controls on rare earth materials – minerals crucial for electric vehicles, semiconductors and defence systems. Calling the move “sinister and hostile,” Trump had threatened sweeping trade measures and said there was “no reason” to meet Xi at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.
China responds to US tariff announcement
Beijing reacted sharply to Trump’s tariff announcement, accusing Washington of “arbitrary double standards” and warning of countermeasures. In a statement, China’s Commerce Ministry said the US move “severely harms Chinaโs interests” and “undermines the atmosphere for bilateral economic and trade talks.” The ministry added, “China does not want to fight, but is not afraid to fight,” calling the 100% tariff plan a “classic case of double standards.”
China sanctions 5 US units of South Korean shipbuilderย
Earlier on October 14, China’s Commerce Ministry said it was banning dealings by Chinese companies with five subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean in the latest swipe by Beijing at US President Donald Trump’s effort to rebuild the industry in America. The ministry also announced that it was also investigating a probe by Washington into China’s growing dominance in world shipbuilding and threatened more retaliatory measures. It said the US probe endangers China’s national security and its shipping industry and cited Hanwha’s involvement in the investigation. The US Trade Representative launched the Section 301 trade investigation in April 2024. It was determined that China’s strength in the industry was a burden to US businesses.
ALSO READ:ย ‘We will make this number 9…’: Trump eyes end to Ukraine war, to meet Zelenskyy at White House today