US President Donald Trump said the current tariffs imposed on Chinese goods were “not sustainable," as tensions between Washington and Beijing rise ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Donald Trump was asked whether the steep tariffs levied by both countries earlier this year could continue indefinitely.
“It’s not sustainable," he said, adding, “That’s what the number is, it’s probably not, you know, it could stand but they forced me to do that."
Donald Trump added that he would meet Xi Jinping “in two weeks," and expressed cautious optimism about easing the dispute, saying he believed “things would be fine with China."
The US president, while discussing Beijing’s trade practices, said, “China is always looking for an edge. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens."
The comments come as the trade war between the world’s two largest economies continues to rattle global markets. Washington’s import duties on Chinese goods have climbed to as high as 145 percent, sparking concerns about supply chains and slowing growth. Although both sides agreed to a 90-day truce earlier this year, that pause is set to expire on November 10 unless extended.
Earlier, Donald Trump warned that the US could impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese products by November 1 if negotiations did not progress. He also hinted at canceling the planned meeting with Xi Jinping, which is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.
Despite the uncertainty, Donald Trump maintained that his relationship with Xi Jinping remained positive.
“I get along great with him," Donald Trump said, adding, “I think we’re going to be fine with China, but we have to have a fair deal. It’s got to be fair."
