
China welcomes Donald Trump’s ‘goodwill’ act of postponing US tariff increase until after National Day
- The American president confirmed a planned increase in tariffs from 25 per cent to 30 per cent on US$250 billion of Chinese goods will be delayed to October 15
- The new levies were expected to take effect from October 1, but will now come before expected face-to-face trade talks in Washington
China welcomed US President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone a planned tariff increase on Chinese products from October 1 to October 15, calling it an act of “goodwill”.
“At the request of the Vice Premier of China, Liu He, and due to the fact that the People's Republic of China will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary on October 1st, we have agreed, as a gesture of good will, to move the increased Tariffs on 250 Billion Dollars worth of goods (25% to 30%), from October 1st to October 15th,” read Trump’s tweet.
Trump’s announcement came a day after Beijing unveiled a list of 16 types of products that will be exempt from the first round of China’s additional retaliatory tariffs on US imports, as the two sides prepare for another round of high-level trade negotiations early next month.
Before the meeting in Washington, Gao said there will be a deputy level meeting to lay the ground work for the talks between Liu and his US counterparts led by US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
