Trump’s China tariffs seen as ‘status quo’ amid TikTok talks, other issues ahead of Apec
US keeps average duties near 55%, with fentanyl levies a sticking point despite Beijing’s push for relief
US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China are unlikely to ease, despite ongoing talks towards a comprehensive deal targeted for November, according to two people familiar with the matter.
“President Trump is very comfortable with the current level of tariff … and Chinese imports is a big chunk” of the revenue source, one person familiar said. Another person noted that the US side was “happy” with the current tariff level.
Trump signalled as much in a social media post on Wednesday, saying that the US has “made so much money on tariffs” that his administration is “going to take a small portion of that money and help our farmers”.
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Unravelling China’s role in the US fentanyl crisis
The “America-first” president accused Beijing of not buying for “negotiating reasons only”, adding that in his much-anticipated meeting with President Xi Jinping “in four weeks”, soybeans will be a “major topic of discussion”, referring to the bilateral talk set to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in South Korea later this month.