WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested China initiated upcoming senior-level trade talks between the two countries and said he was not willing to cut US tariffs on Chinese goods to get Beijing to the negotiating table.
The US announced on Tuesday that treasury secretary Scott Bessent and US trade representative Jamieson Greer will meet with China’s top economic official on Saturday in Switzerland, marking an initial step in potential negotiations over a blistering trade war.
Beijing had adopted fiery rhetoric as tensions with Washington ratcheted up, repeatedly saying it would not engage in negotiations unless the US withdrew its tariffs. Its commerce ministry had suggested it was the US side that had signalled a desire to hold talks.