Trump says bringing Chinese tariffs down 'depends on' Beijing
President warns that failure to reach a deal will lead to Washington setting tariff rate
ISTANBUL
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that any reduction in tariffs on Chinese imports would depend on Beijing's actions as trade tensions between the world's two largest economies remain high.
Asked during an Oval Office meeting where he signed executive orders about how soon he wanted to bring tariffs on China down, Trump responded: "Well, that depends on them."
Earlier in the day, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced Trump's position in a Fox News interview.
"There will be no unilateral reduction in tariffs against China...China needs to make a deal with the United States of America," she said.
Trump reiterated his longstanding complaint about unfair trade practices.
"We have a situation where we have a very, very great place called the United States of America, and it's been ripped off for years and years," he said.
He warned that not making a deal would lead Washington to set a tariff rate, which he said could be determined soon.
"Over the next two, three weeks, we'll be setting the number, and we're going to pick (a rate), could be for China too.”
"If we don't make a deal, which is possible, we're going to just set the price," Trump added.
He said countries who want to make business in the US have to determine whether to continue trading under those terms.
Trump earlier had promised "a fair deal with China," claiming the relationship "got out of control" under previous administrations.
The statements came amid an escalating trade war that saw Trump recently increase "reciprocal tariffs" on China from 84% to 125%, on top of a 20% fentanyl-related tariff imposed earlier this year, bringing the effective rate to 145% for most goods.
Some Chinese products face even higher rates due to additional Section 301 tariffs addressing unfair trade practices, with certain items like electric vehicles facing up to 245% in total duties.
In retaliation, China has imposed tariffs of up to 125% on US products and restricted exports of rare earth minerals essential for high-tech industries.
