Straight-Up: Trump Says No to Tariff Slash Before China Clash
Trump refuses to lower tariffs before engaging in negotiations with China - Trump opposes lowering tariffs prior to negotiations with China
In a burst of brashness, Donald Trump just ain't budging on those big-time tariffs on Chinese goods before he squares off with the Chinese government this weekend. When a reporter asked if he was ready to slash tariffs significantly before digging deep into negotiations, as China's been asking for, ol' Don simply said, "Nah."
But wait, there's more! The President flat out denied that the talks scheduled in Switzerland this weekend were his idea. Nope, he thinks the Chinese should double-check their records for that one. When it came time for David Perdue's swearing-in as the new US Ambassador to China, Trump made it clear he considers the former US Senator from Georgia his pal.
So, what's cooking between China and the USA? High-level discussions are about to go down, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer set to sit across from reps from the People's Republic of China. According to the respective agencies, this is gonna be the first time these heavy hitters have met. In an interview on Fox News, the US Treasury Secretary said he expects both sides to agree on what to discuss at the meeting. "It's all about cooling things down, not the big trade deal," he notes, "but we gotta calm the waters before we can move forward."
Now, 'bout these tariffs... Here's the inside scoop: Back in April 2025, the White House issued Executive Orders to tweak tariff rates to address trade imbalances and retaliatory measures coming from China. The possibility of a full-on reduction in tariffs was on the table if China took major steps to remedy unfair trade practices and got on the same page as US economic and national security priorities[1].
Discussions have been knocking back and forth between the US and China, representing a big move toward settling trade issues. But, hey, a comprehensive rollback of tariffs? That wasn't on the docket before the initial Trump-China talks[1][2].
As for the current situation, the proposed tariff reduction was moving forward but hadn't been finalized just yet. Last May 14th, China's country-specific tariff rate was put on hold until August 12th, so imports from China were pegged at a baseline rate of 10% instead of the higher ones[2].
To wrap it up: the tariff rollback was in a precarious, conditional state. Tariffs were adjusted to address retaliatory actions, and talks were underway, but a total rollback hadn't been agreed upon before the initial Trump-China sit-down[1][2].
- The Commission, despite not being associated with war-and-conflicts or car-accidents, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, which falls under the category of policy-and-legislation.
- In the realm of general-news, the ongoing negotiations between China and the USA, concerning trade issues and tariffs, are a significant part of politics and crime-and-justice, as the future of the global economy could be influenced by their decisions.
- If China takes major steps to remedy unfair trade practices and aligns with US economic and national security priorities, as discussed in April 2025, a full-on reduction in tariffs could potentially be on the table[1].
- In the event of fires, it's essential for households and businesses to have safety measures in place, such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and evacuation plans, to protect workers and minimize risks, adhering to the principles of policy-and-legislation and the protection of workers.
