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As high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks approach, President Donald Trump on Friday morning signaled a dramatic potential shift in policy, floating the idea of an 80% tariff on Chinese imports.
“80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B.,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account, referring to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who will lead the American delegation in a pivotal meeting on Saturday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva, Switzerland.
The talks aim to address continuing trade tensions and explore avenues for de-escalation. At the moment, the U.S. has a 145% levy on goods imported from China, while China has a 125% duty on goods imported from the U.S — levels that have contributed to slowing economic growth on both sides of the Pacific.
Though no formal policy shift has been announced, Trump’s public endorsement of an 80% rate has fueled speculation that his administration is preparing to revise its tariff strategy.
The president also wrote on social media in an all-caps message that “China should open up its market” to the U.S.” because it “would be so good for them.”
“CLOSED MARKETS DON’T WORK ANYMORE!!!” Trump wrote.
Trump has signaled before that he is open to lowering tariffs on Chinese imports. In late April, he floated the idea of making “substantial” cuts, suggesting a more conciliatory approach. Speaking to reporters at that time, Trump said he intends to be “very nice” to China during negotiations and indicated that tariffs could be reduced if a deal is reached.
“[The tariff level] will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero,” Trump said, adding that “we’re going to be very nice, and they’re going to be very nice, and we’ll see what happens.”
The New York Post (NWSA-0.90%) reported on Thursday that those numbers might not be the 80% the president teased Friday morning but lower: reportedly between 50% and 54%.
The U.S.-China trade talks are expected to cover a broad array of topics, including tariffs, intellectual property protections, and the resumption of direct bilateral investment talks. Whether Trump’s latest comment reflects a new strategy or a negotiating posture remains to be seen.
The president said in late April that he had talked with Chinese President Xi Jinping “many times,” but Chinese officials have pushed back against that, with one spokesperson calling that “fake news.”
The Trump administration announced its first post-tariff trade deal Thursday, with the United Kingdom, a deal which is to maintain the 10% baseline tariffs on the sovereign nation. In the Oval Office when speaking to reporters, the president said the U.K. earned its 10% rate thanks to what he described as a history of respect and fair treatment in its dealings with the U.S.
“Some will be much higher because [other countries] have massive trade surpluses and, in many cases, they didn’t treat us right,” Trump said.
“One thing with U.K. ... they always treated us with great respect,” he told reporters, dismissing any suggestion that the 10% tariffs were a template for future deals. “That’s a low number — they made a good deal.”
Trump claimed that the deal with the U.K. was the first of many to come. He wrote Friday morning that there are “Many Trade Deals in the hopper, all good (GREAT!) ones!”
Trump has hinted at a number of deals for a while now, with his administration suggesting it’s in active negotiations with the U.K., India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.