U.S. seeks tariff talks with China amid rising tensions

The United States has approached China in hopes of launching talks over President Donald Trump’s steep 145% tariffs, according to a post by Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account linked to Chinese state media.

The post, citing anonymous sources, suggested that Washington had reached out through several channels to discuss the issue, possibly indicating China's cautious openness to negotiation.

Beijing has publicly condemned the tariffs, labeling them as bullying tactics and insisting they won’t derail China’s growth. Instead of engaging in talks, China has focused on rallying domestic and international opposition to the U.S. measures. However, behind the scenes, China has reportedly compiled a list of American goods, including some pharmaceuticals, microchips, and jet engines that will be exempt from its retaliatory 125% tariffs, aiming to reduce the economic burden.

With Trump’s tariffs exceeding 35%, Chinese exports to the U.S. have become uncompetitive. Analysts at Nomura Securities predict that a 50% decline in such exports could lead to 16 million job losses in China over time.

Despite the pressure, Chinese officials remain firm, comparing compliance with Trump's demands to "drinking poison". The Yuyuan Tantian post quoted unnamed experts who said that while China sees no need to initiate dialogue without clear U.S. action, it wouldn't hurt to listen if Washington reaches out.

Trump recently claimed in an interview that talks were underway and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had contacted him. Beijing, however, has denied any such negotiations, accusing the U.S. of misleading the public. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson reaffirmed that no official consultations are happening.

Although China maintains it is open to discussions, officials stress that any dialogue must be based on mutual respect, equality, and shared benefit.

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