In brief
In a bid to stabilize the volatile financial markets, President Trump has claimed ongoing trade negotiations with China. However, Chinese officials firmly reject these assertions, stating that no consultations have taken place.
President Trump recently stated he had been in touch with Chinese President Xi Jinping, suggesting that negotiations on tariffs were underway. He emphasized this point in a Time interview and indicated that his team was actively working on a trade deal. Outside the White House, he reiterated his communication with Xi but dodged questions about whether conversations occurred after the new tariffs were introduced.Despite Trump’s optimistic outlook, the Chinese government directly refuted his claims. Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, clarified that no talks were happening, questioning the U.S. narrative. He urged the United States to avoid deceptive communications and to engage in respectful dialogue.Furthermore, He Yadong, from China's Commerce Ministry, reiterated that there were currently “no economic and trade negotiations” between the two nations. The contrasting statements have led to uncertainty in global markets, which are already on edge due to the ongoing trade war.
