President Donald Trump has signaled a potential shift in his China trade strategy, admitting in an interview that the administration’s high-tariff policy is “not sustainable.”
This key admission comes as he prepares to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks. Trump, however, did not take responsibility for the policy, insisting that China “forced me to do that.”
The president’s comments have been mixed. He expressed hope, saying “I think we’re going to be fine with China,” but also wariness, stating “I don’t know what’s going to happen.” He accused China of “always looking for an edge.”
The context for this meeting is a 90-day truce in the trade war, which is set to expire on November 10. This truce has paused duties that had climbed as high as 145%, causing global economic anxiety.
Despite the “not sustainable” comment, Trump defended the tariffs as crucial. “If we didn’t have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing,” he said, reiterating his demand for a “fair deal.”
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