Trump, Xi Jinping likely to hold talks this week, says White House

The anticipated conversation follows months of faltering trade negotiations and mutual tariff cuts, raising hopes of a breakthrough in the prolonged US-China trade war

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are likely to hold talks this week, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday (local time).

 

Leavitt's remarks come a day after White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett noted that there was an expectation for Trump and Xi to hold talks this week, ABC News reported. "President Trump, we expect, is going to have a wonderful conversation about the trade negotiations this week with President Xi. That's our expectation," he said.

 

"I can confirm that the two leaders will likely talk this week," Leavitt told reporters. "And as always, when foreign leaders call, we will provide a readout of those calls."

 

 

US-China trade war

 

In May, US and Chinese officials met in Geneva to negotiate high tariffs imposed by both sides. The two nations agreed to mutual reductions and to slashing their tariff rates. However, talks have stalled since then.

 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently claimed the trade talks with China are a "bit stalled" and that talks between Trump and Xi Jinping can bring the deal to the finish line.

 

Trump recently accused China of violating the trade agreement. Taking to his private social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr NICE GUY!”

 

Rejecting Trump's allegations, China accused the US of provoking "new economic and trade frictions".

 

After the US imposed 54 per cent sweeping tariffs on China in April, Beijing retaliated with its own set of tariffs on US-made goods, resulting in a trade war between the two. Before the 90-day truce talks in Geneva, the US imposed a 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, whereas China imposed a 125 per cent tariff on US goods.

 

Following the trade truce, both the US and China slashed their tariff rates significantly. While the US currently has a 30 per cent tariff rate on China, the latter has reduced its rate to 10 per cent.