President Donald Trump has expressed openness to negotiating with China on the ongoing tariff dispute but emphasized that Beijing must make the first move, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
"The ball is in China's court," Trump said in a statement delivered by Leavitt. "China needs to make a deal with us, we don't have to make a deal with them. There's no difference between China and any other country except they're much larger."
He continued, "And China wants what we have... the American consumer. Or to put it another way, they need our money."
What You Need to Know
Trump's intensified trade war with China has rattled global markets in recent weeks. The United States has increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, while China has responded with 84% tariffs on American goods.
Despite the White House's claims that 75 nations are open to trade talks, China remains defiant. President Xi Jinping has urged Europe and Asia to unite against what he calls America’s "unilateral bullying practices."
Analysts believe it’s unlikely that China will initiate dialogue with Washington soon. Just last Friday, the U.S. announced a tariff exemption on Chinese electronics — a move interpreted by Beijing as a softening stance.
The geopolitical standoff shows no signs of easing, and American consumers may be the ones feeling the financial pinch as the trade war drags on.