China considers US offer to start trade talks
Beijing is considering an offer from Washington to engage in trade talks, following Trump’s claims that the negotiations had already started, The Guardian via Reuters reported on May 2nd.
In a statement on May 2nd, the Chinese commerce ministry said: “The US has recently taken the initiative on many occasions to convey information to China through relevant parties, saying it hopes to talk with China.”
The comments follow a week of conflicting reports. US President Donald Trump previously claimed that talks were already underway after Chinese President Xi Jinping had contacted him to initiate dialogue. Beijing has denied initiating any such talks, with the foreign ministry accusing the US of “misleading the public.”
Nationalist blogger Ren Yi, writing under the name “Chairman Rabbit,” echoed the ministry’s stance, stating that it was the US that had reached out “frequently and proactively” through multiple channels in hopes of negotiating.
China’s commerce ministry stressed that Washington must demonstrate “sincerity” if negotiations are to proceed, and warned against the use of “coercion and extortion.”
Tensions have escalated since April, when the US raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%. China responded with its own set of retaliatory tariffs, now reaching 125%. Both countries have made exceptions to some of their tariff measures to ease the economic fallout, but a broader resolution remains uncertain.
Economic indicators in China suggest mounting pressure. Factory activity declined in April, with the National Bureau of Statistics citing “sharp changes in [China’s] external environment.” President Xi Jinping urged officials to adjust to global shifts, although he made no direct reference to the US.
Propaganda from state organs has taken a more pointed tone. A foreign ministry video released this week described the US approach as bullying and warned that yielding to it would be like “drinking poison.”
Meanwhile, a US executive order to close the “de minimis” tariff loophole came into effect on May 2nd. The rule change ends exemptions on customs duties for low-value goods, many of which originate from China, tightening pressure on Chinese exporters.
Despite public statements, there have been signs of a possible thaw. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that China will want to strike a deal, noting that de-escalation would be the first step before moving toward a comprehensive agreement.
The Guardian via Reuters
