Trump reveals details of conversation with Xi, outlines trade and other agreement proposals in TIME interview
The Lowdown on Trump and Xi's Tariff Talks
The White House is reportedly in negotiations with the Chinese government to strike a deal on tariffs, according to Trump's latest interview with Time magazine. In the interview, Trump neither specified the date of Xi's call nor disclosed the topics discussed, stating that Xi's reaching out didn't signal any weakness on his part.
China's Foreign Ministry has yet to comment on Trump's statement, but earlier, they had requested the U.S. to cease misleading the public regarding tariff negotiations between the nations.
According to Time, Trump anticipates concluding U.S. tariff agreements within the next three to four weeks. When asked whether he would view a tariff rate of 50% as a win in a year, he replied, "Total victory."
Beyond tariffs, Trump shared his plans for diplomatic moves concerning international hotspots like Ukraine, Middle East, and a potential deal with Iran.
*China Reduces Tariffs on Certain Goods Amidst Trade War*
As for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump opined, "Crimea will remain with Russia. And Zelenskiy grasps that, and everyone understands that it's been with them for a long time. It's been with them longer than Trump's presidency."
Regarding Saudi Arabia, he predicted their entry into the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements forged during his first term between Israel and some Gulf countries. He expressed optimism about the U.S. forging an agreement with Iran as well.
Some crucial insights from the experts:
Latest Developments- Trade War Intensifies: On April 8, 2025, Trump imposed a 84% tariff on specific Chinese goods in retaliation for China's 34% tariffs.- China's Stance: Beijing continues to advocate for the U.S. to retract existing tariffs before discussing new agreements.- Economic Ramifications: The average effective tariff rate for U.S. consumers now hovers at an unprecedented 25.2%, reaching levels not seen since 1909.
Expert Opinions- Negotiation Landscape: Harvard's Meg Rithmire suggests the Trump administration seems "nervous" about prolonged trade war consequences but unwilling to de-escalate unilaterally.- Market Responses: Trump's recent tariff adjustments, including pauses on broader reciprocal tariffs, indicate efforts to balance volatility with pressure exertion on China.- Strategic Scenario: Analysts depict the stalemate as a "tit-for-tat" stand-off, with no substantial bilateral progress apparently achieved by late April 2025.
- Despite Trump's optimistic predictions, China's Foreign Ministry has been silent on the tariff talks with the U.S., requesting an end to any misleading statements regarding the negotiations.
- In the midst of intense tariff talks, Trump has also hinted at diplomatic moves involving war-and-conflicts areas such as Ukraine, the Middle East, and a potential deal with Iran, as reported in the general news.
- Xi, Jinping, didn't specify the topics discussed during their call with Trump, as per Trump's interview with Time magazine, and his statement did not indicate any weakness on Xi's part.
- Amid the ongoing trade war, China has reduced tariffs on certain goods, but Beijing continues to advocate for the U.S. to retract existing tariffs before discussing new agreements, as mentioned in policy-and-legislation and crime-and-justice reports.
- Experts suggest that the Trump administration seems "nervous" about the long-term consequences of the trade war but unwilling to de-escalate unilaterally, and they depict the stalemate as a "tit-for-tat" stand-off, with no substantial bilateral progress appearing by late April 2025.
