In a decisive statement on Wednesday, President Donald Trump indicated that he has no intention of reducing the United States’ 145% tariffs on China as a means of facilitating trade negotiations with the Asian nation.
When questioned at the White House about the possibility of easing the high import duties to encourage discussions, Trump responded with a definitive “no.”
This firm stance on tariffs comes as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart in Switzerland in three days, where trade and economic matters are expected to be a focal point of discussion.
Earlier on the same day, China disclosed that the meeting was initiated by the U.S. and reiterated its strong opposition to Trump’s tariff increases as the negotiations approach.
Regarding expectations for the outcome of the forthcoming discussions in Europe, Trump remarked, “We’ll see … we were losing a trillion dollars a year, now we’re not losing anything, you know? It’s the way I look at it.”
