New Delhi: In a candid admission amid escalating US-China trade frictions, President Donald Trump has confessed that the sky-high tariffs slapped on Chinese imports – now ballooning to 145% on key goods – are “not sustainable” in the long run, pinning the blame squarely on Beijing’s aggressive tactics.
The remarks, aired during a Fox Business interview on Friday, come just days before a pivotal face-off with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising hopes for a breakthrough even as global markets brace for turbulence.
Trump, responding to queries on the levies’ viability, quipped, “It’s not sustainable, but that’s what the number is. It could stand, but they forced me to do that.” He accused China of relentlessly “ripping off” America, citing Beijing’s recent curbs on rare earth exports as the latest flashpoint that derailed talks.
Last week, Trump rattled markets by threatening an additional 100% tariff hike on Chinese goods starting November 1 and even musing about scrapping the Xi summit — a threat now softened by his optimism for a “fair deal.”
The duo’s rendezvous is slated for late October at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in South Korea, a venue Trump believes could “fix everything” with Xi, whom he credits for “great rapport.” Yet, with a 90-day truce on tariffs expiring November 10, failure to extend it risks a full-blown economic chill, stoking recession fears worldwide.
China’s Commerce Ministry fired back on Friday, slamming Washington for eroding multilateral trade norms since Trump’s 2025 return, vowing WTO countermeasures.
As the White House eyes a “totally fair” pact, Trump’s mixed signals – tough talk laced with diplomacy – underscore the high-wire act of his trade war redux. Will the Xi meetup deliver détente or double down on duties? The world economy hangs in the balance.