Chinese officials are calling on President Donald Trump to “completely cancel” his reciprocal tariffs, as a trade war between world’s two biggest economies grinds on.
This week, Trump announced a 90-day pause for a host of global tariffs he had planned, but increased such taxes on Chinese imports to 145%.
“We urge the US to take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” China’s commerce ministry said in a statement.
The Trump administration on Friday offered a concession by announcing that some technological products – including many produced in China – would be exempt from tariffs.
The Chinese commerce ministry on Sunday called the exemptions a “small step” by the US and said that Beijing was “evaluating the impact” of the move.
Trump’s technology exemptions – including smartphones, computers and semiconductors – offered hope for tech giants and consumers who worried the price of gadgets would skyrocket in the wake of the tariffs.
But there was no immediate prospect of a thaw in the two rival’s protectionist posture.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was asked during an appearance on Sunday on CBS Face the Nation whether there were any plans for Trump to speak with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
“Right now we don’t have any plans on that,” said Greer.
Trump at the beginning of this month imposed a tariff amounting to 54% on imports of products from China, before escalating to a rate that currently stands at 145%.
In its own tit-for-tat tariffs, China has imposed levies of 34% on US goods, then 84%, and the latest rate of 125% retaliatory tariffs, which took effect on Saturday.
In announcing its latest tariffs, China’s commerce ministry said last week that it would “fight to the end” if the US “insists on provoking a tariff war or trade war”.
Late on Saturday, while travelling to Miami, Florida, Trump said he would give more details of the exemptions at the start of next week.
The White House has argued that it is using tariffs as a negotiating tactic to extract more favourable trade terms from other countries.
Trump has said his policy will redress unfairness in the global trading system, as well as bring jobs and factories back to the US. (BBC News)
