US President Donald Trump said his conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week was friendly. According to Trump, the two discussed important issues, including trade, the state of the social network TikTok and the situation around Taiwan. He expressed confidence in reaching a trade agreement with China, adding that he believes it is possible to reach agreed terms.
Controversial trade practices and tariffs
During his campaign, Trump threatened to impose a 10% punitive tariff on Chinese imports as part of efforts to tackle illegal imports of fentanyl from China into the US through Mexico and Canada. Despite these threats, he did not immediately impose the corresponding tariffs, indicating that he was still considering the possibility of negotiations.
Trump added that despite his preference not to use tariffs against Beijing, they remain a powerful tool with great importance in negotiations and noted: “Tariffs are a huge force, and China does not want to be imposed.”
Geopolitical tension between the US and China
The US and China continue to have serious diplomatic and economic differences. In addition to trade disputes, bilateral relations are also complicated by technological and military rivalry, as well as Washington's concerns about the security of the social network TikTok, which belongs to the Chinese company ByteDance.
Potential for reaching an agreement despite disagreements
The conversation between Trump and Xi Jinping provides a basis for a possible resolution of some of the trade and diplomatic issues between the two countries. Despite serious disagreements, Trump maintains an optimistic approach and strives to reach a favorable agreement for the United States.