US, China Restart Trade Talks: Trump
- GENEVA – Former President Donald Trump expressed optimism for a "total reset" of commercial relations between teh United States and China following initial high-level discussions in Geneva, Switzerland.
- In a post on Truth Social, Trump lauded the "very good" dialog held in Geneva, aimed at easing trade tensions that escalated after the U.S.
- Trump's post read, "A very good meeting today with China in Switzerland.
U.S. and China Aim for Trade Reset After Geneva Talks
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GENEVA – Former President Donald Trump expressed optimism for a “total reset” of commercial relations between teh United States and China following initial high-level discussions in Geneva, Switzerland.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump lauded the “very good” dialog held in Geneva, aimed at easing trade tensions that escalated after the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, prompting retaliatory measures from Beijing.
Trump’s post read, ”A very good meeting today with China in Switzerland. Many issues were discussed and many agreements were reached. A total reset of friendly but constructive way was negotiated. For both China and the US good we want to see an opening of China to US companies. Great advances !!!”
Negotiations Seek to De-escalate Trade War
The geneva meetings mark the first direct negotiations between U.S.and Chinese delegations to address the ongoing tariff war,which has disrupted supply chains and raised concerns about a potential global economic recession.
The U.S. delegation is led by Treasury Secretary Scott Besent and trade representative Jamieson Greer. He Lymphang, a vice-premier, heads the Chinese delegation.
China’s Outlook
Chinese officials have stated that their participation in the negotiations reflects a “sense of responsibility.” They also acknowledged that enhanced interaction would be mutually beneficial in understanding each other’s concerns and preventing “bad interpretations.”
U.S. Stance on Tariffs
Prior to the talks, Trump indicated that reducing tariffs on Chinese goods from the current 145% to 80% seemed “appropriate.” China, in turn, applies taxes of 125% to goods from the United States.
Details of Agreements Remain Unclear
While the Geneva summit represents a notable step, concrete details regarding any agreements reached have not yet been disclosed.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua confirmed the meeting’s commencement in a brief statement. Sources from the German news agency dpa verified the conclusion of the initial round of discussions.
Setting the Stage for Future Talks
Before the trip, Treasury Secretary Besent tempered expectations, stating that he did not anticipate a comprehensive agreement in Geneva but rather aimed to define the framework for future discussions.
WTO‘s Perspective
World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala described the discussions in Geneva as “a positive and constructive step towards the reduction of climbing.”
In April, Okonjo-Iweala expressed “very worried” about the situation, noting that even tho trade between China and the U.S. constitutes only about 3% of global merchandise trade,a “decoupling” of the two major economies coudl have significant repercussions.
Swiss President’s comment
Switzerland President Karin Keller-Sutter humorously linked the choice of Pope Leo XIV with the negotiations, saying, “The Holy Spirit was in Rome. We must expect that it will now come to Geneva over the weekend.”
economic Context
Vice Chinese Prime Minister He Lifeng entered the negotiations following a report that China’s exports increased by 8.1% in April, exceeding analysts’ expectations. However, exports to the U.S. decreased by nearly 18% during the same period.
White House Signals Cautious Approach
White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt cautioned that Trump “is not going to download tariffs unilaterally to China” and emphasized the need for “concessions” from the Chinese side.
(Facts from AFP, EFE and EP contributed to this report.)
U.S.-China Trade Talks: Your Top Questions Answered
Q: What’s the core focus of the recent U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva?
A: the primary aim of the Geneva talks was a “total reset” of commercial relations between the United States and China, as expressed by former president donald Trump. The meetings sought to de-escalate the ongoing tariff war that has disrupted supply chains and raised concerns about a potential global economic recession.
Q: What did Donald trump say about the Geneva discussions?
A: Trump expressed optimism on social media, hailing the dialog as “vrey good.” He mentioned that “many issues were discussed and many agreements were reached” and that a “total reset of kind but constructive way was negotiated.” He further stated, “for both China and the US good we want to see an opening of China to US companies. Great advances !!!”
Q: Who lead the delegations in the geneva talks?
A: The U.S. delegation was led by Treasury Secretary Scott Besent and trade representative Jamieson Greer. Representing China was He lymphang, a vice-premier.
Q: What’s China’s perspective on these trade negotiations?
A: Chinese officials have framed their participation as a reflection of “a sense of responsibility.” They also acknowledged that enhanced interaction would be mutually beneficial to both sides, helping them understand each other’s concerns and avoid “bad interpretations.”
Q: What are the current tariff positions of the U.S. and China?
A: Ahead of the talks, Trump indicated that reducing tariffs on Chinese goods from the current 145% to 80% seemed “appropriate.” China, in turn, applies taxes of 125% to goods from the United States.
Q: Were any concrete agreements reached during the Geneva summit?
A: While the Geneva summit represents a notable step, concrete details regarding any agreements reached have not yet been disclosed.
Q: What’s the significance of setting the stage for future talks?
A: Treasury Secretary Besent tempered expectations before the trip, stating that a comprehensive agreement wasn’t anticipated in Geneva.Instead, the meetings aimed to define the framework for future discussions.
Q: How does the World Trade Organization (WTO) view these discussions?
A: WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala described the Geneva discussions as “a positive and constructive step towards the reduction of climbing.” In April, she expressed “very worried” about the situation, noting that a “decoupling” of the two major economies could have significant repercussions.
Q: What economic context surrounded the talks?
A: Vice-Premier He Lifeng entered the negotiations following a report that China’s exports increased by 8.1% in April, exceeding analysts’ expectations.However,exports to the U.S. decreased by nearly 18% during the same period.
Q: What’s the White House’s approach to these trade talks?
A: White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt cautioned that Trump “is not going to download tariffs unilaterally to China” and emphasized the need for “concessions” from the Chinese side.
Q: Did anyone else comment on current talks?
A: Switzerland President Karin Keller-Sutter humorously linked the choice of Pope Leo XIV with the negotiations, saying, “The Holy Spirit was in Rome. We must expect that it will now come to Geneva over the weekend.”