Trump Says China Reaching Out After Major Tariff Hike

President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that Chinese officials have been urgently reaching out since his administration imposed a massive increase in tariffs on Chinese imports, signaling that a landmark trade deal could be struck within weeks.

Speaking to reporters after signing executive orders aimed at deregulating the seafood industry, Trump confirmed that Beijing has been making repeated attempts to re-engage in high-level negotiations since the U.S. nearly tripled tariffs from 54% to 145% last week.

“They have reached out a number of times,” Trump said. “A lot.”

While he didn’t confirm a direct call with President Xi Jinping, Trump left the door open, saying he maintains a strong personal rapport with the Chinese leader. But the message was unmistakable: the pressure campaign is working, and Beijing is finally blinking.

Trump’s aggressive trade stance has always been about leverage and now it’s paying off. Since the hike, top-level Chinese officials have been scrambling to respond, even as media outlets suggest Xi is dragging his feet. Trump made it clear that in a tightly controlled regime like China, any outreach at this level has Xi’s fingerprints all over it.

“He runs it very tight, very strong, very smart,” Trump said. “And, yeah, we’re talking to China.”

Here’s what’s driving the urgency on Beijing’s side:

• China’s economy is faltering under the weight of the tariffs, with exports to the U.S. down over 20% year-over-year in early 2024.

• Trump’s tariffs have disrupted supply chains and created panic in Chinese manufacturing hubs already struggling with youth unemployment over 21%.

• The U.S. consumer market the world’s most powerful economic engine remains the prize Beijing can’t afford to lose access to.

Trump, as always, is playing the long game. Despite media hand-wringing, he dismissed pressure to rush the process, asserting that the U.S. holds all the cards.

“I would think over the next three or four weeks, I think maybe the whole thing could be concluded,” he said confidently.

And if not? Trump’s response was quintessentially America First:

“We’ll just set a limit. We’ll set a tariff… We have something that nobody else has, and that’s the American consumer.”

This is classic Trump bold, unapologetic, and unafraid to use America's unmatched economic power to bring foreign adversaries to the table. While the Biden administration would’ve sold out U.S. interests for a weak handshake and a photo op, Trump is once again proving that strength, not appeasement, gets results.

China’s sudden eagerness to talk is no coincidence. It’s a direct result of a president who understands that America doesn’t need to beg it needs to lead.

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