- Trump anticipates “substantive” trade talks with China this weekend, with tariffs capped at 145%.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China’s He Lifeng in Switzerland.
- Trump suggests China has “far more to gain” from a deal and hints he might speak with President Xi after the talks.
President Donald Trump sounded unusually upbeat on Thursday, predicting that the upcoming trade talks with China could be “substantive,” despite tariffs already maxed out at a staggering 145%. “You can’t go any higher. It’s at 145, so we know it’s coming down,” Trump said, adding, “I think it’s going to be a very friendly meeting. They look forward to doing it in an elegant way.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer are set to meet China’s economic czar He Lifeng in Switzerland this weekend. Trump hinted that he might call Chinese President Xi Jinping after the talks, but kept it vague. “I might, yeah, sure,” he said, shrugging.
China Has “More to Gain” From a Deal, Says Trump
Despite the brutal tariff standoff, Trump claimed China was eager to strike a deal, saying they “have a lot to gain” by opening up their economy. “They have far more to gain than we do, in a sense,” he said. He also labeled China’s trade surplus with the U.S. as “tremendous” and “unacceptable.”
When asked if he expected progress this weekend, Trump was cautiously optimistic. “I think it’s going to be substantive,” he said. “China wants to do something, and look, they have to at this point.”
