China: No Negotiations Underway with US; Washington Must Resolve the Stalemate’
According to Xinhua, a spokesman for the Beijing embassy in Washington denied any trade talks between China and the US on tariffs.
Criticizing claims by US officials that the two sides had held talks, the Chinese diplomat said: “As far as I know, there has been no consultation or negotiation between China and Russia on the issue of tariffs, let alone an agreement!”
Stressing that the US has unilaterally instigated the tariff war, he added: “Whoever tied this knot should untie it themselves.”
US President Donald Trump had previously claimed that trade talks between the US and China were ongoing, claiming that “it doesn’t matter who they mean. Maybe we’ll announce it later, but they had a meeting this morning (Thursday) and we are negotiating with China.”
After Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese imports, which triggered a trade war between the two countries, Beijing and Washington have entered a trade war, trying to push each other back with ping-pong tariffs.
The US has already announced tariffs of 145% on Chinese goods, while Beijing has increased its tariffs on American imports to 125%.
The trade war, which Trump claims is in retaliation for Beijing’s unfair trade practices against Washington, has rocked markets and put the world at risk of recession.